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Home » Top Stories » News and Features » » Tour de France

Brits' hopes dashed as Millar, Wiggins fall short

By Agence France Presse
Published: Jul. 7, 2007
Wiggins said he left it all out there on the road
Wiggins said he left it all out there on the road
Photo: Graham Watson

British hopes of claiming an historic yellow jersey in the shadow of Big Ben took a nosedive into the river Thames as CSC’s Fabian Cancellara sped to victory in the Tour de France prologue Saturday.

England's reigning world and Olympic track pursuit champion Bradley Wiggins, who had been targeting victory on home soil, finished in a disappointing fourth place at 23 seconds behind winner Fabian Cancellara (CSC), who won in 8:50.

Wiggins crossed the finish line visibly upset, and later lamented his failure to claim an historic win on the streets he used to ride as a teenager.

"I gave it everything. I thought I'd really had the perfect race. I didn't brake at all throughout. I couldn't have gone any faster," said Wiggins.

Scotland's David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir) was a little more philosophical after finishing a respectable 13th at 33 seconds behind Cancellara. Millar, the prologue winner at Futuroscope in 2000, came into the race with high hopes but admitting he was not on the best of form.

In the circumstances, and after an encouraging handshake by Paul Smith - the men's clothes designer and a massive fan of cycling - Millar was delighted at his performance over a course which thronged with fans shouting his name.

Millar said he was happy with his performance, considering his condition
Millar said he was happy with his performance, considering his condition
Photo: Graham Watson

"To tell you the truth I didn't really have too many hopes that I could win it today, especially with the condition I've had in the past two months," said Millar. "I'm happy with my performance, and my time. As I said, I didn't have the greatest of form coming into the race."

Millar already has three stage wins on the Tour. He won the stage-19 time trial in 2003 and stage 13 in 2002.

Wiggins, meanwhile, will be doing some long, hard thinking ahead of what should prove to be a dramatic, and tough race. The Englishman has said that if he failed to win the prologue, he would be aiming to win a stage further on in the race.

But that is not going to be easy, according to Millar.

"I'm disappointed more for Brad than for me, because I think he really could have done something today. I don't know if he'll get the chance to win another stage,” said Millar. “But for me personally, the Tour is far from over. I'll be going for another stage win."

Millar said riding in front of an estimated crowd of 1 million people in London, only a year after his return to cycling following a two-year ban for admitting to doping, was a dream come true.

"It was magnificent. I have to say again that despite the problems in cycling in the moment, this turnout here really shows that there can be a renaissance at the Tour. It shows the race still has everyone's respect.

“Who'd have believed there would be 1 million people in the streets here to watch the Tour? For the whole eight kilometers I could hear people shouting 'Go Dave!'. It was magic.

"Me and Brad might have lost today, but I think the Tour de France won in a big way."

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