Ben Wiggins, son of Tour de France winner and five-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley, earned a top-ten finish at the Lloyds Tour of Britain.
The 21-year-old joined an eight-man breakaway on the final stage around the Scottish Borders, riding alongside a host of Grand Tour winners. Despite the group being controlled by five members of the same team, Wiggins held his own and looked competitive throughout.
Wiggins reflects on breakaway chance
“I was all-in to win the stage but maybe a bit of youth and inexperience came into it,” said Wiggins. “It was great to be in the mix with all those big names. I had a moment when the group formed and I was like, ‘This is wicked.’ It was a mint day out. I didn’t expect that to happen at all.”
He added: “I wouldn’t say I learned loads about myself from it. I know I’ve got the engine to compete with the best — I genuinely feel that. But when those boys are going flat-out, especially on the climbs, it takes some doing. We actually had a completely different plan for me being in the breakaway. It unfolded very differently from what I expected, but I took my chance. I’m currently without a job for next year as well, so hopefully that helps my case.”
Wellens takes victory, Askey secures second
Belgian Tim Wellens took the winner’s jersey, with Britain’s Lewis Askey finishing 42 seconds behind in blustery conditions on roads that will host next year’s Tour de France Grand Départ. Askey expressed frustration that he and his team allowed the breakaway to form, which cost him the points jersey, won by ten-time Grand Tour winner Filippo Ganna.
With that jersey gone, Askey and fellow Brit Jake Stewart worked to ensure the margin of the lead group did not cost Askey second place in the general classification. “It doesn’t mean loads to me until I stand on the top step,” he said. “I’m here because I enjoy winning races. I always say a second, or a top five, top ten — they’re all nice performances, and you’re obviously proud of how you’ve ridden and happy with it. We were going to prioritise the sprint and I would have enjoyed that, but one mistake, one lack of urgency, and that was gone. I need to say a big thanks to Jake. He kept our group moving and without him there is no way I'd have finished second.”
Other jerseys and Tour de France build-up
Czech Michal Schuran won the climbers’ jersey after getting himself embedded in the early breakaway, while Britain’s Elliot Rowe was the best young rider. It is 298 days until the Tour de France starts on these undulating roads, as ‘La Grande Boucle’ rolls out of Edinburgh, across the Borders and finishes its first stage in the shadow of Carlisle’s medieval castle. After this day in the saddle, some were left to ponder what is harder: battling punishing climbs in 30 °C at the ongoing Vuelta or tackling devilish crosswinds on twisty roads in the Scottish Borders.
