Bradley Wiggins
Wiggins will not compete in this year's Tour de France

Sir Bradley Wiggins will not compete in next month's Tour de France after being left out of Team Sky's nine man squad.

The 2012 champion, who suffered a muscle injury after crashing during the Tour of Switzerland this month, announced he had been left out following his British national time trial victory on Wednesday and Team Sky principal Sir David Brailsford has since confirmed Wiggins' absence.

Brailsford told Sky Sports News: "It was a very tough decision. Bradley has been a great champion, is a great champion, he has been fundamental to the growth of cycling in this country, but ultimately you have to look at the facts as they stand now.

"My job is to look at the best probabilities for trying to win, and picture somebody on that podium with the yellow jersey on the Champs-Elysees, and then I work back from there.

"On this occasion Bradley is going to miss out, but it's one race, there is still the future, he is a great champion, and there is a lot more racing in Bradley Wiggins yet."

Wiggins also missed cycling's premier competition last year with a knee injury.

Defending champion Chris Froome will lead Team Sky in Wiggins' absence in his bid to win a second yellow jacket. He will be joined by fellow Briton Geraint Thomas along with Australia's Richie Porte, Spanish climbers Mikel Nieve and David Lopez and Vasil Kriyienka (Belarusia), Bernhard Eisel (Austria), Xabier Zandio (Spain) and Danny Pate (USA).

On Froome's leadership, Brailsford added: "I think Chris Froome is the best stage-race rider in the world. He won last year and the level of performance he has put together over the last couple of years has been phenomenal.

"The thing about Chris Froome is he can time trial and he can climb, and it is the combination of being one of the world's best climbers and one of the best time triallers together that makes him such a potent force."