Cycling: We will not let Wiggins join British team Sky, says Garmin manager

Wiggins recently took fourth in the Tour de France (AFP/ GETTY IMAGES)

Bradley Wiggins's Garmin-Slipstream squad have insisted there is no possibility of an early release of the Londoner from his current contract to let him transfer to the new British team, Sky.

Speaking to the magazine Cycling Weekly, Garmin-Slipstream manager Jonathan Vaughters said: "I would have to be clinically insane to sell that contract. It would represent a loss of a great rider and person, a loss of image, a loss of credibility and a loss of potential results."

A triple Olympic gold medallist, Wiggins recently took fourth in the Tour de France, England's best-ever result in road cycling's top event. Since then the rumours surrounding Sky's interest in Wiggins have intensified dramatically. The new team's mid-term goal of taking Britain's first ever Tour de France win, coupled with Wiggins strong links to British Cycling, have fuelled speculation.

However, Vaughters insists that "my goal is to be fighting for the 2010 Tour with Bradley Wiggins". For his part, double Tour de France winner Alberto Contador said he wishes to leave Astana, despite having a contract that runs to 2010. "Next year it would be better to change and I am going to try it," he said.