Wiggins gives his Tour hopes a boost with stage wins (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Wiggins gives his Tour hopes a boost with stage wins

3:57pm Thursday 16th June 2011 in Cycling By Dave Brown, Cycling correspondent

Lancashire based Bradley Wiggins – he lives just the other side of Chorley–scored his biggest ever win on the road when he pulled on the final Yellow Jersey after the eighth day Criterium du Dauphine in France.

Only two Brits have won this long- standing classic stage race which is rated second in France to Le Tour itself.

Yorkshire’s Brian Robinson was winner in 1961 and Scotsman Robert Millar in 1990. Admittedly Team Sky leader Wiggins was helped by the two time trial stages which is his specialist discipline but he also easily held his own in the mountains to clinch an impressive win.

Hopefully Wiggo can take his form a step further in the upcoming Tour de France and take a Podium place after his fourth place in 2009.

The Endura professional team of Ian Wilkinson have also had a good week with the team coming top in both of the televised Tour Series from Stoke-on-Trent and Oldham.

Although he has not got into the top individual placings this time round he has been backing his team in a solid way and Endura are now closing the gap on the series top squad Rapha Condor Sharp.

n The racing is screened at 8pm on ITV4 on Wednesday’s and Friday’s.