Millar makes it a very British Tour (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Millar makes it a very British Tour

7:47pm Friday 13th July 2012 in Bob Hart's cycling blog By Bob Hart, Web editor

WHAT an amazing Tour this has been for British riders.

Regardless of the eventual outcome of the race, Britain has been confirmed as a dominant power in the world of road racing - echoing the success of our track riders.

Four of the five riders in the GB Olympic road race team are riding in this year's Tour, and after David Millar's efforts today all of them have won a stage of this year's race.

And with another long time trial and more flat stages yet to come, I can't help but think a couple more stages will come our way before the Tour ends.

I was pleased to see Millar win his stage today.

Having served a ban for doping, Millar is a controversial figure.

Some can't stand him, while others admire how honest and open he's been about his use of performance enhancing products.

Personally, I've got a lot of time for him. He's clearly very intelligent and articulate, and yet he is filled with an infectious, boyish enthusiasm for bike racing.

Today's win, after a long breakaway on the longest stage of this year's Tour, was great to see.

• It's been a fairly quiet day for Lancashire's Bradley Wiggins.

There was no serious challenge to his yellow jersey from his rivals - although the press have tried to create a story about an internal rivalry with Sky team-mate Chris Froome.

Although Froome is undoubtedly strong on the climbs, I still think Wiggo has the edge as an all-rounder.

Froome's time will come though, possibly in this year's Vuelta a Espana and certainly in some future Tour.

The battle for GC is likely to go a little quiet until the race arrives in the Pyrennees next week.

Tomorrow, we'll hopefully see Mark Cavendish take his second win of this year's Tour.

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