Sir Bradley Wiggins: Giro d'Italia crash leaves cyclist cautious

Sir Bradley Wiggins says he descended "like a bit of a girl" in losing time on the Giro d'Italia's seventh stage.

Wiggins's cautious downhill ride after a fall on the route to Pescara is a major factor in him lying one minute and 16 seconds behind race leader Vincenzo Nibali with nine stages gone.

"I descended like a bit of a girl after the crash," he told Cycling Weekly.

"Not to disrespect girls, I have one at home. That's life and we have to push on and deal with the disappointments."

Team Sky's Wiggins, who became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012, was lying second overall after four stages, but got caught behind a crash on stage six before falling well back on stage seven.

In heavy rain, Wiggins fell on a bend and was timid through the remainder of the day to allow the likes of Italian Nibali and 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans to pull clear.

"I just wasn't taking the risks," added Wiggins.

"There were a few crashes ahead of me which slowed me down. So I was already off the back of the group - and then in doing that, trying to chase harder, crashed anyway."

The 33-year-old climbed back up to fourth overall after Saturday's time trial but could make up no more ground on leader Nibali on Sunday before Monday's rest day.

"I never expected it to be as straightforward as the Tour last year," added Wiggins. "It's been a tough challenge, be we knew it'd be that way."

Wiggins expects Nibali to continue to ride aggressively when the race resumes and had praise for Australian Evans, who lies second, 29 seconds adrift.

"He [Nibali] will continue to ride aggressively. I can't see him trying to defend 30 seconds from now until Brescia," Wiggins said.

"Cadel is the best I've seen him since he won the Tour. He is the dangerman in that position."

Riders return to the saddle on Tuesday for stage 10, a 167km trail from Cordenons, ending with a final climb to Altopiano del Montasio that has a brutal 20% incline.

"It will be one of the toughest finishes of this Giro, that's for sure," said Wiggins. "The race could tip upside down again."