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Chris Froome will defend his Dauphine title. Photo: AP

Separate Tour de France paths for Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome

Team Sky colleagues riding different warm-up events, as speculation mounts that 2012 champion may not make squad for the grand boucle

Team Sky have announced that Tour de France champion Chris Froome and 2012 winner Bradley Wiggins will race in different warm-up events ahead of this year's race, which begins in Yorkshire next month.

The pair have a frosty relationship, and speculation has suggested that Wiggins, who was unable to defend his crown last year owing to injury, may fail to make Sky's Tour de France squad despite the 34-year-old saying he was happy to play second fiddle.

Froome will defend his title at the Criterium du Dauphine, which starts on Sunday and is seen as a major marker ahead of the Tour de France, while Wiggins, who won the Tour of California last month, will start the Tour de Suisse, which begins six days later.

Bradley heads to Switzerland with a strong team after a great win in California and we've got the right group for the Dauphine
Dave Brailsford

"The Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse are WorldTour events and we are looking to perform in both races," Sky principal Dave Brailsford said.

"Bradley heads to Switzerland with a strong team after a great win in California and we've got the right group for the Dauphine, especially considering the nature of the course.

"Both of these races will form part of our selection for the Tour," Brailsford added.

"We have to name 13 riders in a long list during June and we'll do that from across the squad, including riders at the Route du Sud, not only those in the Dauphine and Tour de Suisse groups."

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Wiggins and Froome to take different Tour paths
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