Froome to lead off Team Sky’s Tour de France challenge

Froome played a vital role in helping Sir Bradley Wiggins claim victory in the 2012 Tour, finishing second overall himself but Team Sky stated back in January that the 2013 campaign would be built around Froome, with Wiggins in support.

Wiggins’s main stated aim of 2013 was overall victory in the Giro d’Italia, which got under way on Saturday, and Brailsford said the strategy set out at the start of the year remains in place.

“As always the team selection is a management decision and it will be evidence-based,” he said.

“However it is crucial there is clarity of purpose and for that reason we will go to the Tour with one leader. Taking that into consideration and given Chris’s step up in performances this year, our plan, as it has been since January is to have him lead the Tour de France team.”

Katusha’s Luca Paolini launched a late attack to win the third stage of the Giro d’Italia and take the leader’s pink jersey.

The Italian rider got himself among a leading group containing a number of general classification contenders, including defending champion Ryder Hesjedal, 
Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali and Cadel Evans, during the closing stages.

Paolini made his move with six kilometres of the 222km run from Sorrento to Marina di Ascea remaining and opened up enough of a gap to triumph ahead of Evans and Hesjedal.

Wiggins was eighth on the stage and remains second in the general classification, 17 seconds down on Paolini.

Wiggins’s team-mate Rigoberto Uran lies third overall, with Astana rider Nibali fifth, 31 seconds behind Paolini.

Garmin-Sharp’s Hesjedal was three seconds further adrift.

Team Sky’s Salvatore Puccio had held the pink jersey after Sunday’s team time-trial, but he was gapped by the field on the final climb before the finish and lost over seven minutes.

It was also a bad day for Lampre-Merida’s Michele Scarponi, who fell on a damp patch of tarmac on the descent towards the finish and lost a minute after waiting for a replacement bike.

A delighted Paolini, riding in his first Giro, said: “It’s incredible to win like that and take the pink jersey as well.

“My father was in hospital today for a minor operation and so this pink jersey is for him.

“I suffered to stay on during the climb and tried to ride at my pace. I knew there was a little climb near the finish and I know I can descend pretty well. I went for it,” he added.

“I rode as if it was a Classic. We had a good team time-trial and I knew I could take the pink jersey if I won.

“Now we will enjoy the victory, the pink jersey, and will try to keep it as long as we can.”