“Bradley was being operated on only eight weeks ago so it’s a remarkable turnaround. I would say this is his best-ever performance.”
Wiggins told BBC Sport: “I learnt a lot in this race about myself – how hard I can push, how hard I can go after set-backs – so it’s a big learning experience.”
Although the 2012 Olympics are of pressing concern for Brailsford in the next 12 months, he will also be well aware of the need to make a big impression on the biggest of the grand tours, the Tour de France, next summer.
When the team was founded, he set the aim of winning the event within five years so there are three races remaining to achieve that.
If he can secure a renewal of Froome’s contract, Brailsford must now work out how to get the most from both of his Vuelta podium finishers, with the added complication that sprinter Mark Cavendish is expected to join the squad for next season.
“More than everything it gives everybody confidence in what we’re trying to do,” he said of the Vuelta performance.
“We’ve always set ourselves lofty goals and ambitious targets and, in our experience, if you do that and work hard it’s amazing what you can achieve.”
