Wiggins overcomes the biggest obstacle to Tour glory (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Wiggins overcomes the biggest obstacle to Tour glory

7:48pm Thursday 19th July 2012 in Bob Hart's cycling blog

I hardly dare think it, but it could well be that Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France today.

In an awesome display of strength from Team Sky, all of Wiggins' rivals were wiped out on the final climb of today's mountain stage in the Pyrenees.

But I'm too superstitious to start celebrating yet. After saboteurs hit the race last weekend, British cycling fans will be praying no one does anything to interfere with Wiggins' ride on Saturday.

Once Saturday's time trial stage is out of the way we'll be able to say for certain that Britain has produced a Tour winner.

Hopefully that certainty will come with another dominant time trial win from the man himself.

It would be great to see him win in true Indurain style by winning another long test against the clock.

If nothing else, that might convince the doubters that Wiggins was the right man to lead the team.

Chris Froome's strength in the mountains has many convinced it should have been him going for the win this year.

His time will come - possibly in the the Vuelta a Espana later this summer.

And Wiggins has already offered his full support to his loyal team mate when it's time for him to take the lead role.

Whatever happens - it's a golden age for British Cycling.

• Away from the race for the yellow jersey, I was very happy to see Tommy Voeckler secure the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey today.

What a deserving winner he is - he's put in massive efforts over the last two days.

And although there are no more mountains left this year, we might not have seen the last of him in this year's Tour . . . 

• Remember that little bloke wearing the rainbow jersey?

World champion Mark Cavendish has been battling to survive the mountains over the last week or so.

But tomorrow's flat stage will offer him chance to go for a stage win.

He's only a week away from racing for Olympic gold, so he's likely to be keen to test his legs.

Allez Cav!