The 29-year-old Londoner finished 59 seconds behind stage winner Mikel Astarloza, from Spain, in the same time as the yellow jersey Alberto Contador, and so is still third overall, one minute 37 seconds behind.

Wiggins is just nine seconds behind second-placed Lance Armstrong, the seven-time winner of the race.

Wiggins said: “I felt fine.

"It was one of the easier Alpine stages.

“Tomorrow’s another day I don’t want to get carried away.

"Tomorrow is a bit more of a brothel."

Wiggins knows he will gain time on the rivals behind him in the Annecy time trial on Thursday.

He said: “They’re [his rivals] lively but there’s only one of them who is, what’s the word, yeah, they’re lively."

Tomorrow's stage to Le Grand Bornand is predicted to be the hardest leg of this year's Tour with five tough climbs.

The Col de Romme and the Col de la Colombiere are the final two climbs and have gradients of 8.9 per cent and 8.5 per cent.

Wiggins said: “It’s the same as every day, just be there with the boys.

"It’s the same for everyone you know.

“Everyone’s got to get up them and I keep telling myself that...you’re not the only one who's hurting or it's hard for.

“When it’s like that, there’s a lot of guys who have already gone, that gives you confidence to keep going.

"Tomorrow won’t be any different really.

"Physically, I’m in good shape now, so I’ve no reason to think I won’t get through tomorrow in the same position.

“If I’m in the same position tomorrow night that’d be fantastic.

"Tomorrow is another day and I don’t want to try and predict what’s going to happen but we’ll see how it goes, see how it pans out.”