Sir Bradley Wiggins has withdrawn from the Giro d'Italia on Team Sky's medical advice.
Wiggins, who has been suffering from a cold and chest infection, was visibly below par in yesterday's rain-hit 12th stage from Longarone to Treviso, which was won by his compatriot Mark Cavendish.
The 2012 Tour de France winner was assessed after losing further ground on Vincenzo Nibali in the race for the overall lead on Thursday, and it was decided he should pull out.
The 33-year-old finished more than three minutes behind Cavendish and the rest of the leading group, which included pink jersey holder Nibali.
Wiggins said a Giro win would have trumped his Tour de France victory
"His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders," Team Sky boss Davie Brailsford said.
"Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible.
"As a passionate racer he wanted to continue but he is simply unable to do so on medical grounds."
Wiggins had been on antibiotics in a bid to combat the chest infection, yet his condition was "worsening".
Team Sky will now ride in support of Colombian Rigoberto Urán, who sits in third place overall, two minutes and four seconds off the race lead.
Bradley Wiggins' Giro d'Italia
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(01 of35)
British Bradley Wiggins reacts after the 162kms seventh stage of the 96th Giro d'Italia from San Salvo to Pescara on May 10, 2013. Australian cyclist Adam Hansen, riding for the Lotto team, won the seventh stage of the Tour of Italy on Friday, with Spain's Benat Intxausti claiming the overall leader's pink jersey. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-GIRO(02 of35)
Briton Bradley Wiggins stands before the start of the 10th stage of the 96th Giro d'Italia (Italy Tour) cycling race on May 14, 2013 in Altopiano del Montasio. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR(03 of35)
British Sir Bradley Wiggins rides during the 55,5kms eigth stage of the 96th Giro d'Italia time trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara on May 11, 2013 in Saltara, Italy.Briton Alex Dowsett took the honours ahead of compatriot Bradley Wiggins in the Tour of Italy's eighth stage time trial on Saturday with Italian Vincenzo Nibali inheriting the leader's pink jersey. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITALY-GIRO(04 of35)
Britain's Bradley Wiggins signs in during the signature cermony before the start of the 6th stage of 96th Giro d'Italia cycling race from Mola di Bari to Margherita di Savoia on May 9, 2013 in Mola di Bari. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITALY-GIRO(05 of35)
Britain's Bradley Wiggins is pictured prior to take the start of the 5th stage of 96th Giro d'Italia cycling race on May 8, 2013 in Matera. AFP PHOTO LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITALY-GIRO(06 of35)
Britain's Bradley Wiggins gets ready to take the start of the 5th stage of 96th Giro d'Italia cycling race on May 8, 2013 in Matera. AFP PHOTO LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR(07 of35)
British Bradley Wiggins gets ready before the start of the 246km fourth stage of the 96th Giro d'Italia from Policastro Bussentino to Serra San Bruno on May 7, 2013 in Policastro Bussentino. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(08 of35)
British Bradley Wiggins gets ready prior the third stage of 96th Giro d'Italia going from Sorrento to Marina di Ascea on May 6, 2013 in Marina di Ascea. Italian Luca Paolini won the third stage of the Giro d'Italia to take the overall leader's pink jersey following the 222km ride from Sorrento to Marina di Ascea with Tour de France winner Cadel Evans taking the second place and Giro champion Ryder Hesjedal finishing third. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage Two(09 of35)
FORIO, ITALY - MAY 05: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling celebrates with his team after they won stage two of the Giro d'Italia 2013, a Team Time Trial from Ischia to Forio, on May 5, 2013 in Forio, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage Two(10 of35)
FORIO, ITALY - MAY 05: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling celebrates with his team after they won stage two of the Giro d'Italia 2013, a Team Time Trial from Ischia to Forio, on May 5, 2013 in Forio, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage Two(11 of35)
FORIO, ITALY - MAY 05: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling celebrates with his team after they won stage two of the Giro d'Italia 2013, a Team Time Trial from Ischia to Forio, on May 5, 2013 in Forio, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(12 of35)
Cyclists of Team Sky with British's leader Bradley Wiggins celebrate on the podium of the second stage of 96th Giro d'Italia Team Time Trial, a 17.4 km from Ischia to Forio on May 5, 2013 in Forio, on the island of Ischia. Italian Salvatore Puccio of Team Sky took possession of the Giro d'Italia pink jersey from overnight leader Mark Cavendish on Sunday after Team Sky dominated a stage two team time trial on the island of Ischia. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(13 of35)
Cyclists of Team Sky with British's leader Bradley Wiggins celebrate on the podium of the second stage of 96th Giro d'Italia Team Time Trial, a 17.4 km from Ischia to Forio on May 5, 2013 in Forio, on the island of Ischia. Italian Salvatore Puccio of Team Sky took possession of the Giro d'Italia pink jersey from overnight leader Mark Cavendish on Sunday after Team Sky dominated a stage two team time trial on the island of Ischia. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(14 of35)
Team Sky leader British Bradley Wiggins rides during the second stage of 96th Giro d'Italia Team Time Trial, a 17.4 km from Ischia to Forio on May 5, 2013 in Forio, on the island of Ischia. Italian Salvatore Puccio of Team Sky took possession of the Giro d'Italia pink jersey from overnight leader Mark Cavendish on Sunday after Team Sky dominated a stage two team time trial on the island of Ischia. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(15 of35)
Team Sky leader British Bradley Wiggins rides during the second stage of 96th Giro d'Italia Team Time Trial, a 17.4 km from Ischia to Forio on May 5, 2013 in Forio, on the island of Ischia. Italian Salvatore Puccio of Team Sky took possession of the Giro d'Italia pink jersey from overnight leader Mark Cavendish on Sunday after Team Sky dominated a stage two team time trial on the island of Ischia. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage Two(16 of35)
FORIO, ITALY - MAY 05: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain rides at the head of the Sky team during stage two of the 2013 Giro d'Italia on May 5, 2013 in Forio, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage Two(17 of35)
FORIO, ITALY - MAY 05: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain rides at the head of the Sky team during stage two of the 2013 Giro d'Italia on May 5, 2013 in Forio, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(18 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky Procycling and Great Britain arrives to sign on for the start of stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia from Naples to Naples on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(19 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky Procycling and Great Britain arrives to sign on for the start of stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia from Naples to Naples on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(20 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky Procycling and Great Britain arrives to sign on for the start of stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia from Naples to Naples on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(21 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky Procycling and Great Britain arrives to sign on for the start of stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia from Naples to Naples on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR-GIRO(22 of35)
Britain's Bradley Wiggins gets ready on Piazza Plebiscito for the start the first stage of the 96th Giro d'Italia on May 4, 2013 in Naples. British Mark Cavendish won the stage while Elia Viviani of the Cannondale team finished second after nearly three hours of frantic racing around Naples while Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni was third. AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(23 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Christian Knees (r) of Germany leads team mate Sir Bradley Wiggins (c) of Great Britain and SKY Procycling at the front of the peloton during stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia from Naples to Naples on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(24 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins (c) of Great Britain and Team SKY rides at the front of the peloton during stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia from Naples to Naples on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(25 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky and Great Britain prepares to ride during stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(26 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky and Great Britain prepares to ride during stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(27 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky and Great Britain prepares to ride during stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Stage One(28 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 04: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky and Great Britain prepares to ride during stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia on May 4, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Team Presentation(29 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 03: Dario Cataldo (l) of Italy and Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling ride onto the stage during the official Team Presentation for the 2013 Giro D'Italia on May 3, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
CYCLING-ITA-TOUR(30 of35)
British Sir Bradley Wiggins poses during the team presentation of the Giro d'Italia on Piazza Plebiscito in Naples on May 3, 2013. The opening stage taking place the day after starts and finishes in Naples, which last hosted a stage finish in 1996 when sprinter Mario Cipollini prevailed.AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES (Photo credit should read LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Team Presentation(31 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 03: Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling looks on during the official Team Presentation for the 2013 Giro D'Italia on May 3, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Team Presentation(32 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 03: Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling chats to MC Anthony McCrossan during the official Team Presentation for the 2013 Giro D'Italia on May 3, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Team Presentation(33 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 03: Dario Cataldo (l) of Italy and Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling ride onto the stage during the official Team Presentation for the 2013 Giro D'Italia on May 3, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Team Presentation(34 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 03: Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling chats to MC Anthony McCrossan during the official Team Presentation for the 2013 Giro D'Italia on May 3, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
2013 Giro d'Italia - Team Presentation(35 of35)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 03: Dario Cataldo (l) of Italy and Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling ride onto the stage during the official Team Presentation for the 2013 Giro D'Italia on May 3, 2013 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)