British rider’s schedule outlined towards Giro/Tour goals

Although he followed a certain route to his first Tour de France victory in 2012, Bradley Wiggins has decided on a different build-up to the defence of his title and will miss out on Paris-Nice next season.



The Briton has passed on the chance to try to take a second successive Race to the Sun because he wants to try to win the Giro d’Italia in 2013.



The twin Grand Tour bid will effect other changes to his programme, but Wiggins is prepared to depart from his 2012 formula in his attempt to take the first Giro-Tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.



According to Bicicilismo, he will return to Mallorca and build form with his fellow Sky team-mates, then travel to the Volta ao Algarve for the February 13-17 event. That also began his 2012 season, with the Briton taking third there.



In place of Paris-Nice, he will dispute Tirreno-Adriatico between March 6th and 12th, then head back to the Volta a Catalunya six days after the end of the Italian event. He withdrew on stage three this year but will hope to compete the race next season.



From there, he will ride either the Giro del Trentino (April 16th to 19th) or the Tour de Romandie (April 23rd to 28th) as his final preparation for the Giro, which begins on May 4th.



Depending on how that race goes, he will decide whether or not to compete again prior to the start of the Tour de France on June 29th. Pantani took a complete break from racing between the two events in 1998, and Wiggins may elect to do the same if he is successful in Italy.