ADAM Yates has been tipped to be the next big thing in British cycling by one of the sport’s greats.

Sir Bradley Wiggins has been impressed by the Bury rider’s immediate impact with Ineos Grenadiers, the former Team Sky for whom Wiggins rode during his Tour de France triumph in 2012.

Racing in a different team from twin brother Simon for the first time this year, Adam has already topped the podium at the Volta a Catalunya for one of the biggest wins of his career.

That was an outing that saw Ineos complete a clean sweep of the top three with Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas second and third.

Team boss Sir Dave Brailsford has earmarked Adam as a team leader at this year’s Vuelta a Espana which will see a rider who finished fourth in the 2016 Tour de France look to emulate what his brother achieved in 2018 by winning in Spain.

Wiggins believes the 28-year-old, who left Simon’s Team BikeExchange ahead of the new season, is coming to the peak of his powers in the saddle.

“Adam has now come of age, it is fair to say, within that team,” the five-time Olympic gold medallist said on his Eurosport podcast.

“He has always been very consistent, but he has now come of age.

“Probably the icing on the cake was going to Ineos, really.

“It’s the perfect team for him. Adam is the next British star and these are the early stages.”