Team Sky Team Principal Dave Brailsford admits Bradley Wiggins is a long way from becoming the first British winner of the Tour de France, despite taking a commanding lead in the General Classification.
Wiggins sits one minute 53 seconds ahead of second-placed defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) heading into the 10th stage from Macon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. Team-mate Chris Froome is 2min 07sec behind in third place.
"It's fantastic, but we're a long way from Paris. Nothing's achieved yet," said Brailsford as the riders enjoyed a rest day on Tuesday.
"We've got some success out of the race and the performances - individual and team - have been fantastic, but we haven't achieved anything in terms of winning the race and that's what we're here to do.
"If you choose the football analogy we're 1-0 up at half-time and have got all the second half to go and, of course, everything can change."
On form
On Saturday Froome won the seventh stage as Wiggins took the coveted yellow jersey. Froome then moved into third by finishing second to Wiggins in Monday's stage nine time trial as Wiggins enhanced his lead.
Brailsford added: "The key thing is: how do you win the race? If you start getting greedy, overly ambitious and start thinking about anything other than a Team Sky jersey winning the race, that could put us on the back foot.
"We've got to stick to our game plan. Clarity is the key now.
"You have to consider all permutations, stay vigilant and take decisions as they happen on the road.
"It's a strong point to be starting from. I'd much prefer to be having that little conundrum than not."
Up for the fight
Wiggins himself fully expects to come under attack as his rivals attempt to seize the yellow jersey from his shoulders on the way to Paris.
He said: "We're in a dream scenario at the moment, almost two minutes ahead but I don't expect anyone at this stage of the race to say 'Sky have won it'."
Wiggins is relishing his position, but is taking nothing for granted, particularly with Evans lurking.
"I don't for one minute underestimate Cadel," Wiggins said. "I've got huge respect for him - I know what he is capable of.
"I saw how he won last year and I expect a fight every inch of the way to Paris."
