Last year was just a fluke, says Wiggins as Tour misery goes on

While Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador continued their duel for the yellow jersey by dancing up the incline to Ax-3-Domaines, Wiggins struggled once again as the 97th Tour went uphill in the Pyrenees.

The 30-year-old Londoner, three times an Olympic champion on the track and fourth in the 2009 Tour, conceded four minutes 59 seconds to Christophe Riblon (Ag2r La Mondiale), who won the 184.5-km 14th stage from Revel to Ax-3-Domaines.

Wiggins now lies 18th overall, 11mins 30secs behind yellow jersey incumbent Schleck. With six days of racing remaining, Wiggins said his form does not compare to 12 months ago, when he finished one spot off the podium.

Wiggins said: "Do you want me to be honest with you? "I've got nothing. I just haven't got the form. It's as simple as that.

"I'm just trying my hardest, battling on, rather than give up.

"I just haven't got it as I did last year. I don't know why.

"I just feel consistently mediocre."

Wiggins also labelled his 2009 performance – where he equalled Robert Millar's 1984 best Tour finish by a Briton – as a "fluke".

"I just haven't got it right this year," added Wiggins.

"It's a funny old thing form, it's hard to say.

"You do everything right, you think you get it right, but I'm not with the best guys this year – it's quite clear.

"Last year was a bit of a fluke.

"It was a fluke in the sense that it wasn't planned throughout the year."

Wiggins, having been recruited by Team Sky over the winter, had a solitary aim for the season – the Tour.

"I haven't lived up to my expectation – I just haven't got it," added Wiggins, pictured right.