Wiggins finished 16th the 198-kilometres undulating loop through the Ardennes region of Belgium around Liege with the same time as rising star Peter Sagan of Slovakia, who claimed victory on his Tour debut.

Australia's defending champion Cadel Evans, from BMC Racing, was 20th to remain 17 seconds behind Cancellara and 10 adrift of Wiggins.

"It was a good effort," Team Sky principal David Brailsford said.

"All in all it was important that Brad didn't lose any time."

Wiggins had started the day in second wearing the green jersey following his second place yesterday in the prologue behind Cancellara in Liege.

Wiggins and his Team Sky colleagues, wearing yellow helmets to signify that they were the leading team, were prominent at the front of the peloton throughout the stage, but dropped back on a wide expanse of road by the river Meuse as the route returned towards Liege before moving through the bunch on the final 2.4km ascent to the finish.

"He was quite confident," Brailsford said.

"We'd had a look that on the climb he could cruise up.

"It was easier to move up on a climb than it was on the flat.

"He just waited for that and moved up very easily on the climb."


Wiggins has lost time on short, sharp ascents in the past, but was buoyed by wins in the Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine stage races this season.

"As everybody was going full gas up there he was riding up the outside making up 10, 15, 20 places," said Brailsford.

"He was comfortable.

"I don't think that's still the case any more."

The Isle of Man's Mark Cavendish won the green jersey in 2011 but was beaten by former HTC_Highroad team-mate Matt Goss
today and claimed eight points.

The Manx Missile had support from Norwegian teammate Boasson Hagen (pictured above centre), who ended the stage in third behind Sagan (pictured right) and Cancellara (right left), and it was an indication that he is not yet willing to give up the maillot vert without a fight.

But Brailsford admitted intermediate sprints are not key on the agenda for Team Sky and Cavendish, who is prioritising the Olympic Games road race in London on July 28, six days after the Tour reaches Paris.

"If you're there yes, you've got to compete for it, but I don't think any of the top guys will be thinking that's an absolute priority once you've got six or seven guys up the road," said Braislford.

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