Bradley Wiggins To Miss Tour De France With Knee Injury

Bradley Wiggins will not be defending his Tour De France victory this year.

The three-time gold medal cyclist announced today that he has pulled out of the Tour De France due to a knee injury. Wiggins said that he has inflammation in his left knee and will not have enough time to train before the race on June 28.

The Guardian reports that Wiggins also recently pulled out of the Giro d’Italia due to a chest ailment.

Dave Brailsford, Team Sky principal, said: “With illness, injury and treatment Brad has gone past the point where he can be ready for the Tour. It’s a big loss but, given these circumstances, we won’t consider him for selection. He hasn’t been able to train hard since the Giro and now he needs further rest. Whilst we all know these things happen in sport, it doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a huge disappointment for everyone in the team – and above all for Brad. It’s incredibly sad to have the reigning champion at Team Sky but not lining up at the Tour. But he’s a champion, a formidable athlete and will come back winning as he has before.”

Wiggins said that he “desperately” wanted to compete in the Tour De France this year but admitted that he would not be able to be competitive due to his injury.

Wiggins said: “It’s a huge disappointment not to make the Tour. I desperately wanted be there, for the team and for all the fans along the way – but it’s not going to happen. I can’t train the way I need to train and I’m not going to be ready. Once you accept that, it’s almost a relief not having to worry about the injury and the race against time.”

Team Sky will look to Chris Froome to pick up the slack left by Wiggins. Froome finished as the runner-up during the 2012 Tour De France and has already claimed victories at the Tour of Oman, Criterium International, and the Tour of Romandie this year.

[Photo Via Team Sky]