ROTTERDAM, Netherlands – Britain’s Bradley Wiggins suffered what could prove to be a costly blow on Saturday as he opened his Tour de France account in disastrous fashion.

Team Sky leader Wiggins, an Olympic pursuit champion who usually dominates the race against the clock, has been hailed as a possible yellow jersey winner after his impressive fourth-place finish in 2009.

However, after a surprisingly underwhelming performance on the 8.9km time trial that served as the race’s opening prologue, the Londoner finished 56sec off the pace of Swiss specialist Fabian Cancellara.

Team Sky opted to start Wiggins early in the day, anticipating wet weather when Wiggins’ yellow jersey rivals — among the later starters — took to the course.

However his ride coincided with one of the day’s numerous showers, although some riders — including Scot David Millar — said that did not change their approach by much.

Wiggins appeared disappointed with his finish in an event in which he should have finished in the top ten.

But he waved away concerns and said he was happy with the “numbers” his on-board computer was showing, adding that it is far too early to write off his yellow jersey chances.

“I was pretty happy with the way I felt physically and the numbers in front of me,” he said. “I didn’t want to chance anything today.

“I said all along the prologue wasn’t the be-all and end-all of this thing for me. I’m just pleased to have got round in one piece, felt good and do what I needed to do.

“It was wet, but I think it’s been wet for most of the people. Straight line I was fine, I felt as good as I need to be.

“I couldn’t really push it to the limit on the corners as I couldn’t take the risk of losing three or four minutes from a crash.”

Around 10 riders look, on paper, able to realistically challenge reigning yellow jersey champion Alberto Contador of Spain in this year’s race.

Luxemburger Andy Schleck tops that list ahead of riders like seven-time champion Lance Armstrong, Australians Cadel Evans and Michael Rogers, Italian Ivan Basso and Russian Denis Menchov.

Schleck, a climbing specialist, was never expected to finish with the top men on Saturday but he will be disappointed to have finished over a minute behind Cancellara.

It means he sits in 122nd place, 42sec behind Contador, who finished sixth on the stage at 27 behind Cancellara. Armstrong finished fifth at 22.

Schleck later claimed he had been handicapped by the rain.

“The rain made the course completely different from the one we trained on yesterday but I had to give it everything in order not to lose too much time,” he said in a team statement.

“I have done all I could to be prepared for the race and it’s too late to do anything else than just do the race and I am very excited about it.”

Wiggins and Schleck were not the only contenders left with deficits they will be hoping to make up in the mountains.

Reigning Tour of Italy champion Basso, of Liquigas, finished 55 off Cancellara’s pace, while Rabobank leader Menchov was at 56.

Article: AFP – by: Justin Davis