Stephen Roche, a former Tour de France winner, expects Team Sky's leadership conundrum to resolve itself on the roads of France as the rivalry between Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome intensifies.
Roche believes Wiggins can replicate his own 1987 feat of winning the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in the same year, but also expects the four-time Olympic champion to do what is best for Team Sky if Froome should be a better position to win the yellow jersey.
"It will be the road itself which opens up to whoever is the strongest," said Roche. "From what we've seen of Froome, this year's Tour will suit him more than Bradley as he's going in there with the opposition thinking about Froome, so he can let him take all the responsibility and hope it will turn in his favour.
"A lot will depend on if Bradley can win the Giro. If he doesn't, it will change everything. If he doesn't win the Giro, he'll want to win the Tour at any cost."
Since Wiggins won the 2012 Tour, with Froome as runner-up, debate has raged over who will lead Team Sky's assault in the 100th edition of the race, which begins in Corsica on June 29.
While Wiggins' messages may have been mixed, those made by Sir Dave Brailsford, Team Sky's principal, and his leading coaches have been consis-tent: they will pick the form rider.
Froome's girlfriend has already lost patience with the lack of clarity over the leadership situation. Michelle Cound, who had a Twitter spat with Wiggins' wife Cath during last year's Tour, wrote: "To those claiming that this Wiggins/Froome thing is some sort of publicity stunt, you are wrong.
"I look forward to @TeamSky clearing up this mess (ASAP) £fedup."
The fact the pair are not just rivals, but also team-mates should work in their collective favour, according to Roche."I'm sure Chris Froome could be a little bit upset," Roche said.
"The important thing for both of them is that Sky wins the Tour, whether it will be Wiggins or Froome. Both are indirectly working for each other."
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