A dream come true as Briton rides to history

In the first fireworks of the 99th Tour, Wiggins became the fifth Briton to don the maillot jaune and the first since 2000 after Team Sky set a blistering tempo up Les Planche des Belles Filles, the category one finishing ascent of the 199-kilometre route from Tomblaine.

Froome won the stage with a late burst after successfully stemming an attack from defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), who finished second, with Wiggins third and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) fourth.

The result saw Wiggins take the fabled yellow jersey, with Evans in second place, 10 seconds adrift and Nibali third, 16 seconds behind ahead of yesterday’s ride.

“I’ve dreamt about this all year, but until you through the process and put it into action and do like we did today... it’s an incredible feeling,” triple Olympic champion Wiggins said.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It sounds corny but it’s something I’ve dreamt of since I was a child. I’d sit on the home trainer watching my hero, my Tour de France hero, Miguel Indurain.

“To be here, on the top of a mountain in the yellow jersey is phenomenal. This was the plan; it’s what we’ve trained for all year.”

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford hailed an historic day: “After our two previous Tours de France – the first one not being so positive, the second one much better – to finally wear the yellow jersey is a very big moment for a team. That’s happened now and you can never take it away. It’s a key milestone and it’s very rewarding.”

Wiggins is only the fifth Briton to have worn the maillot jaune:

Tom Simpson (1962, one day) The first Briton to wear the maillot jaune.

Chris Boardman (1994, three days; 1997, one day; 1998, two days) Won the Tour prologue three times to enjoy spells in yellow.

Sean Yates (1994, one day) A short-lived spell in yellow.

David Millar (2000, three days) Millar took the yellow jersey on his Tour debut after a prologue success.