Millar misses chance to lead all Grand Tours

DAVID Millar must wait to become the first Briton to lead all three Grand Tours.

His Team Garmin-Transitions squad were among the favourites for the team time trial between Savigliano and Cuneo at the Giro d'Italia yesterday and the Scot was tipped to make up the one-second deficit after the three opening stages in Holland. However, the absence of Christian Vande Velde – following a broken collarbone in a crash during stage two – saw Garmin a man light and Millar suffered to sit 45 seconds behind in eighth.

Italian team Liquigas claimed victory to make Vincenzo Nibali the fourth leader of the race – after Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) and Alexandre Vinokourov – after four stages.

Team Sky leader Wiggins remains well down in the general classification standings after losing a total of four and a half minutes on stages two and three after winning last Saturday's prologue in Amsterdam.