British Cycling chief: Brit Tour winner possible within 10 years

Yahoo! Sport UK | Britain targeting Tour winner within 10 years

Britain's cycling development program has been quite successful, as the increase in British Tour riders from 0 in 2005 to 5 this year suggests.

The head of British Cycling, the national cycling federation for Great Britain, says he thinks the program's success leads him to believe Britain will have an overall Tour contender within 10 years.

“When we first started putting into place out structure I said it would be 20 years before we could have a Tour winner, but now I believe it will be within 10 years,” Cookson said.

“We have people capable of winning stages. Look at Wiggins' break, it was fantastic and he got four hours of publicity. It's just a matter of time before something exceptional happens.”

British Cycling's performance director, Dave Brailsford, is trying to find sponsorship for a British team.