Tony Martin (Germany) on the top step of the podium is congratulated by Vittorio Adorni.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Tony Martin (Germany) gives everything as he sprints for the line(Image credit: kathryn Watt)
Wiggins just before his ride(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
World time trial champion Tony Martin believes that while he is in medal contention for Wednesday's event, Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins has already got one hand on the Olympic gold medal.
The men's 44 kilometre individual time trial starts and finishes at Hampton Court Palace.
Martin broke his scaphoid on the first road stage of the Tour de France, eventually abandoning following the Stage 9 time trial where he punctured and eventually finished in 12th place, 2:16 down on the winning time of Wiggins. The German worked hard in the bid to bring back the main break for Andre Greipel's chances, before pulling out of the road race with 90km before the finish on The Mall. With question marks over Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara following his crash in Saturday's road race, Martin said that Wiggins is the outright favourite to win on Wednesday.
"There's just one name and it's Bradley Wiggins. He's the one to beat," said Martin.
The 27-year-old explained that the injury to the base of his wrist is still causing him difficulty, although his position on the time trial bike shouldn't cause this to be a factor.
"The surface of the road on the course is quite bad but I don't think that's too big a problem, because I'm leaning forward and will be resting on my arms," Martin expained.
"My goal for Wednesday is still a medal. I still hope for gold, but I don't have much hope left," he added.
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Wiggins stands to enter the history books should he win, earning the seventh medal of his Olympic career which began in Sydney in 2000 where he won bronze in the team pursuit on the track. A medal of any colour on Wednesday would take Wiggins to seven, one ahead of rowing great Sir Steve Redgrave who won six, currently the most of any British athlete. While Great Britain wasn't able to come up with a win for Mark Cavendish over the weekend, Martin believes that Wiggins will thrive under pressure.
"I think the expectation of the nation on Wiggins will be a motivating factor for him, not a handicap," he said.
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