Bradley Wiggins Firm Favorite in Olympic Cycling

Bradley Wiggins Firm Favorite in Olympic Cycling
2012 London Summer Olympics

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London, England

He might have come a cropper in the road race a few days back -- where he brought up the rear -- but Britain's famous son, Bradley Wiggins, is confident of doing the honors for his country in time trial.

Fresh from the historic Tour de France win less than 10 days back, the three-time gold-medalist on the track, Wiggins will go into the grueling 44km time trial as firm favorite after triumphing in both the long time trials on the Tour.

With the event scheduled to happen around London's Hampton Court Palace, there will be the added motivation of thousands of Londoners cheering for their hero.

A win for Wiggins will make him the most successful Olympian from his country with seven medals. Currently he is tied with former rower, Steve Redgrave, on six. While Redgrave's haul includes five gold, Wiggins has three in his kitty.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the event, Wiggins said he had already set the benchmark on the Tour de France and noting was going to change.

"The benchmark is there really, so nothing is going to change from that performance to Wednesday," he said.

What makes Wiggins the firm favorite for the title is the fact that two of his biggest rivals -- reigning Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland and reigning world champion from Germany Tony Martin -- are not in the best of form.

Cancellara was forced to quit the Tour de France early as his wife was expecting. Subsequently, a nasty fall during last week's Olympic road race left his shoulder badly bruised. Martin pulled out of the Tour early because of a wrist fracture. But Wiggins was not taking any chances, saying that nothing comes easy in the Olympics.

The host country will also be pinning their hopes on Chris Froome, the Tour de France runner-up. Froome, who was born and brought up in Kenya, was confident of Wiggins claiming the top spot, saying the course suited him well.

Wiggins, who has been in fighting form after overcoming a collarbone injury which forced him to pull out of last year's Tour de France, was quoted as saying that his unimpressive performance in the Olympic road race event a few days back was because he couldn't figure out a strategy. "Compared with time trial, road race is far more unpredictable," he said.

But Wednesday's time trial would give Wiggins enough motivation to get back to winning ways. Unlike the uphill drag he encountered on the Seven Hills Road during the road race, Wiggins is unlikely to encounter such hardships on the flat 44km course for the time trial.

Only time will tell.