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Wiggins Dauphine prologue triumph

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GRENOBLE, France -- Britain's Bradley Wiggins achieved his finest victory as a professional as he took the prologue time trial of the Dauphine Libere in Grenoble on Sunday.

The Cofidis rider set a time of four minutes and 50 seconds for the 4.2-km course.

Importantly for Wiggins, the Olympic pursuit champion on the track, it established his credentials as a major contender for the prologue of the Tour de France next month in his home city of London.

Wiggins has often flattered to deceive in similar short tests against the clock on the road, but his time made no mistake.

"Before this year I couldn't say I was a favorite for London, I hadn't got the results on the road for that, but now I am one of them," Wiggins told reporters.

"I can be confident of at least making the top five or perhaps even the top three.

"If I thought I was just going to do an average ride in London, then I'd prefer not to race and go on holiday. But I think maybe I'm in the best form of my life, and after this win I can go into the Tour feeling more relaxed."

Wiggins was given a late scare by last year's champion Levi Leipheimer, as the U.S. rider, adopting a radical, tucked-in position, finished barely a second behind.

Kazakhstan's Andrey Kashechkin was third quickest another second back.

Wiggins will wear the race leader's jersey during Monday's 219-km stage one from Grenoble to Roanne which his expected to favor sprinters.

The eight-day Dauphine Libere finishes on June 17 and is an important tune-up for the Tour de France with many of the major climbs included.

Wiggins' fellow Briton David Millar, one of the prologue favorites, trailed his compatriot by six seconds and finished a disappointing 11th.

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