Wiggins out of Worlds and Commonwealth Games

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Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) has announced that he will not take part in the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, or the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, and that he will instead bring the curtain down on his season after the Tour of Britain in September. After a mixed opening season as Sky team leader, the Englishman has acknowledged that he needs "a proper break" ahead of the 2011 season.

Wiggins impressed in winning the Giro d'Italia prologue in May, but subsequently rode a disappointing Tour de France, finishing in 24th place overall. It was a significant drop from his showing 12 months previously when he fell just shy of a spot on the podium in Paris.

"I've pulled out of the Commonwealth Games, and I'm not going to do the world championships, either. I need a proper break," Wiggins told the Guardian. "Half the reason I wasn't that good here [at the Tour] was because I've done too much already."

"Since I finished fourth last year at the Tour it's been almost non-stop, because of the saga that went on all through the winter," Wiggins said.

The "saga" in question was Wiggins’ departure from Garmin-Transitions in order to lead the new Sky team. His withdrawal from the Commonwealth Games negates one of the Delhi event's most intriguing subplots, namely an expected time trial duel between Wiggins and his erstwhile teammate David Millar. Millar will compete for Scotland in India, while Wiggins was expected to be part of the English selection.

Wiggins will compete in front of his home crowd before the season's end however, before beginning his preparation for 2011. "I just feel (like) I need a break," he said. "The Tour of Britain will be my only other race this year, then I'll have a proper break and start building towards next year. I've already thought about next year. We know what we have to do, and what we're going to do."