Sky teammates Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome have swapped Tour de France overall victories the past two years and in an interview the former has backed the latter to return to the French grand tour next year and lead the team.

Wiggins’ latest comments come after some controversial and contradictory statements made during the spring with regards to last year’s winner of the Tour going to support Froome in this year’s edition. Eventually, Wiggins had to forego the Tour this year due to an illness sustained during the Giro d’Italia. In Wiggins’ absence, Froome duly won the Tour after dominating the race.

“If anything, it makes it his place now. I think he has earned the right to lead the team again next year and do it all again,” Wiggins told The Daily Mail. “I would have loved to have been there and done a job, but it wasn't to be. Maybe that is next year.”

After being forced to abandon the Giro, Wiggins subsequently lost his battle to regain his form and fitness for July and wasn’t included in the Sky selection for the Tour de France.

“At the time, it was very frustrating and disappointing, but not going to the Tour was probably the best thing that has happened to me. In some ways it has been a bit of a wake-up call, a realisation. You are reminded things can't go well all the time. When you know the bad points, you really appreciate the good times."

Wiggins has been compelled to reschedule his race itinerary and is now focusing on the world individual time trial championship in September. Recently, Wiggins returned to competitive racing it the Tour of Poland where he won the individual time trial in commanding fashion. Wiggins has elected to skip the Vuelta a España, choosing instead to participate in the Eneco Tour and the Tour of Britain as he continues his build-up for September.

“But I'm really good now, I'm back to where I was back in May,” he said. “It is all looking good for the next couple of months - Tour of Britain, world championships.”