Many cycling enthusiasts might have questioned Dave Brailsford’s decision to leave the 2012 Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins out of the Team Sky roster for this years edition after their leader Chris Froome abandoned the race as a consequence of three crashed in just two days However, British squad manager insists that with or without Wiggins, Riche Porte would be their perfect “plan B” with in-form Geraint Thomas as another possible replacement.

Even though Froome insisted that leaving Wiggins out of the Tour de France roster had nothing to do with his own decisions and claimed that the final choice has been based on what would have been best for the “team dynamics”, it was absolutely clear that difficult relations between two Britons affected it significantly.

Despite a very good condition shown in the Tour of California, the 2012 Tour de France champion didn’t make it to the Team Sky squad tightly knitted around his younger countryman, as he didn’t race or train with Froome enough this season.

“We have got a fantastic plan B in Richie, and G [Thomas]. Richie is going ever so well and if Brad had have been here, Richie would have been our plan B and I think people should realise that,” the Team Sky principal told Sky Sports News

“You make decisions at the moment in time with the best intent and the right thoughts behind it and you stick with it - that’s life.

"There is still a long way to go and you have got to be optimistic, you have got to look at the positives and we are very much in the fight."

“I think he [Porte] can go a really, really long way in the race. It’s all still to play for and I think if we are patient, we manage ourselves properly, then we are still very much in the mix.”

Despite Froome’s withdrawal, Brailsford claimed that spirits in the team are high as both Porte and Thomas managed to finish the stage fairly unscathed and improved their position in general classification.

He said: “Very optimistic, I must say. I think we are very much still in this race. Everybody is obviously a bit concerned about yesterday, and Richie in particular and G got through it in great shape, and the closer we get to the mountains, the more we are looking forward to it.

“There is still a long way to go and you have got to be optimistic, you have got to look at the positives and we are very much in the fight.”