December 5 - Bradley Wiggins (pictured) claims he has ignored the speculation linking him with Team Sky to avoid building up his hopes of a transfer to the new British team.

 

Rumours of a move to the BSkyB-backed squad led by British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford have escalated since Wiggins' fourth-placed finish in July's Tour de France - equalling the British record set by Robert Millar in 1984.

 

But the 29-year-old, who is under contract with Garmin for the 2010 season, insisted a move was never an option, and that he is fully focused on performing for the American squad next year.

 

He said: "I still have to see my contract out with Garmin.

 

"I didn't really have the choice to be honest.

 

"That's why I haven't really got too worried about it - in my mind it was never going to happen, so I never built my hopes up too much.

 

"I'll just have to concentrate on what I've got and focus with Garmin and do the best we can do next year."

 

Three-time Olympic champion Wiggins competed on the track today for the first time since February at the Revolution event at the Manchester Velodrome and triumphed in the Devils Scratch race.

 

Following his phenomenal performance in the Tour, Wiggins was also expected to be a contender for this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year competition, but missed the final shortlist of 10 announced this week.

 

Although he maintains he has not done enough to earn an inclusion, he believes Mark Cavendish deserved his place on the short list.

 

He said: "I think too much is made in this country of finishing fourth.

 

"Cav, just for winning Milan-San Remo should be in there.

 

"I'm a bit disappointed that Victoria Pendleton isn't in there as well.

 

"She's won another world title and yet there's people in there that have won only one world title and are getting such a fuss made of them.

 

"Jenson [Button] is the favourite and will probably win."

 

 

Related stories

November 2009: L'Equipe claim Wiggins will join Team Sky for 2010

November 2009: Team Sky still hoping to sign Wiggins as three more names announced
November 2009: Wiggins set for Team Sky after Evans decides Silence is not golden
September 2009: Wiggins at centre of tug-of-war between Team Sky and Garmin