Tour winner to race in event on home soil

LONDON - Reuters

Bradley Wiggins greets fans on stage for BT London Live concert at Hyde Park in central London on Aug 4. AP photo

Tour de France winner and Olympic time trial champion Bradley Wiggins will race in his home Tour of Britain next month.

The Tour of Britain has long been viewed as a minor stage race in comparison to the mighty Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Tour of Spain, which Sky teammate Chris Froome is currently trying to win.

However, Wiggins will be at the start of the eight-stage race in Ipswich on Sept. 9 to say thanks to all his fans for supporting him during his stellar year.

The 32-year-old, who became the first Briton to win the Tour and then landed the Olympic time trial crown, is skipping the Tour of Denmark next week but will be back in the saddle for the start of the eight-stage Tour of Britain at Ipswich.

“I’m doing the Tour of Britain now,” the 32-year-old was quoted as saying by Sky Sports yesterday.
“It’ll be nice. I’ll try to stay fit between now and then so I don’t embarrass myself! It’ll be good.”