British Tour de France contender Bradley Wiggins is using the Giro d’Italia to both build form and to test his condition prior to July, and said that he was satisfied with his sixteenth place at the top of Monte Terminillo yesterday.
The Team Sky rider crossed the line one minute 22 seconds behind the solo winner Chris Anker Sorensen. He had been with the Maglia Rosa group for a while and finally conceded 26 seconds to Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Farnese Vini) and several other GC contenders.
Wiggins had suffered from a lack of eating on Saturday’s stage and was happy to bounce back. “I had a hunger flat yesterday and didn't feel brilliant today but still did enough to put it behind me and fight through. I was pretty pleased to be there in that company at this point in time,” he said on the team website.
"I think everyone had a tough day today because stage seven was so hard.
"We knew there would be a big break so we wanted to have someone in there which we had with Steve (Cummings) and Chris (Froome). Unfortunately it didn't quite come off for them but everyone rode really well today and the team are pretty happy.”
Wiggins went into the race saying that he was a little over his Tour de France weight and didn’t expect to be at his best in the mountains. His prologue victory was very encouraging for him and, given that he appears to be stronger than he was in this race twelve months ago, he can be confident that he is heading in the right direction in advance of the Tour de France.
Team Sky’s head coach Shane Sutton gave the ride a thumbs up, and said had Wiggins not been delayed in a crash in the early part of the Giro, he would be much higher up than his 23rd overall.
“ Brad tested himself and should be quietly pleased that he's where he wants to be at this moment in time.
"We've stuck to our gameplan to see how he shaped up over the first week and if you take out all the bad luck we've had, we could have been going into the start of yesterday's stage in the pink jersey.
"But the Maglia Rosa just seems to have carried a bit of an anvil because everyone who has had it has had a problem - they've had a crash or whatever.”
The next few stages are on much flatter terrain and the focus is now turning back to the sprinters. Although breakaway groups also have a chance, it is expected that the days ahead could end with bunch gallops and, because of that, the team will plan towards one of its other riders to chase a stage win.
"In our own way we're pleased with where we're at and now we're going to rethink our strategy and look forward to Monday,” Sutton continued. “It's a pretty flat stage and we've got a good in-form sprinter in Greg Henderson.”