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Team Sky evaluate tactics with Wiggins gone

11th July 2011
Source: Press Association Sport

Team Sky head coach Shane Sutton backed the squad to respond from losing talisman Bradley Wiggins inside the first week of the Tour de France.

Wiggins, who finished fourth in the 2009 Tour, crashed out on stage seven, suffering a fractured collarbone, and is set to undergo surgery in Manchester.

Sutton, who is also British Cycling performance manager, is something of a father figure for Wiggins and has helped revitalise the 31-year-old following his disappointing 24th-placed finish at last year's Tour.

And the Australian - renowned for getting the best out of Britain's cyclists, whether in the velodrome, on the BMX track or out on the road - is confident Team Sky can salvage something from what was a promising first week of the Tour.

Sutton told Press Association Sport: "You can always make something out of nothing. At this moment in time on the GC (general classification) we've got nothing, but we can make something out of that by going out there for stage wins."

With the squad's focal point gone, Sutton says Team Sky's remaining riders can now hunt for personal glory if the opportunity arises.

He added: "They can go out and express themselves and try and take their chances.

"The good thing is it's been a great first week. We've been up there, we've had the white jersey for a week, we've had three in the top 10 on GC, we've had a stage win - most teams would give their right arm for that in the whole Tour.

"We have big aspirations for this team in the long term.

"Second year in we've learned a lot from last year and you can see how much we've already moved forward and I'm sure we'll move further forward from this experience."