91�ȱ�

Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford says Chris Froome is set to lead the British outfit's Tour de France 2013 challenge and not Bradley Wiggins.

Froome, 27, helped Wiggins, 32, win the 2012 Tour but it seems the pair will switch roles for next year's race.

Brailsford said the plan had not "completely been signed off".

But he added: "The Tour of Italy would be a very good target for Bradley and leave Froomy then to focus on the Tour de France."

At this year's Tour de France, Froome finished runner-up to Wiggins, who became the first British winner of the event.

However, Froome looked stronger than Wiggins in some of the mountain stages.

The 100th edition of the Tour de France, which runs from 29 June to 21 July next year, is likely to favour top climbers such as Kenyan-born Froome.

That will enable Wiggins to be able to focus on the Tour of Italy (Giro d'Italia), a race he loves but is known for being a hugely challenging grand tour to win. It runs from 4-26 May.

Brailsford, 48, is British cycling's performance director and was speaking at UK Sport's world class performance conference in Leeds. He masterminded Great Britain winning eight gold medals at London 2012.

Some of Brailsford's colleagues have since moved to other sports but he believes their replacements can move the organisation forward.

"It's inevitable, but it means you get fresh people and new ideas," added Brailsford.

"Matt Parker and our two performance analysts went off to rugby, but Matt had been there 10 years and if you carry on with the same group at some point in time you are going to get myopic.

"So I think bringing in people with new ideas that we listen to is healthy."