LONDON, July 18 - Britain could have a Tour de France champion within 10 years, according to British Cycling president Brian Cookson.

Five British riders began this year's Tour while the prologue attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators to central London on July 7.

Cookson said the popularity of the sport was soaring and British Cycling had a development programme that was the envy of many professional European teams.

"Two or three years ago there were no British riders in the Tour," Cookson told Reuters. "No we've got five and they all came through the development programme.

"There are also a raft of 10 to 20 other guys who are getting into pro teams. It's something we've been trying to achieve for a while but it has come sooner than expected and beyond our wildest expectations."

Cookson said the performances of Cofidis rider Bradley Wiggins at this year's Tour showed that Britons could now cut it with the world's best road competitors.

Wiggins, who won three track medals at the 2004 Olympics, was fourth in the prologue, then on stage six he mounted a 190-km lone break before being gobbled up by the peloton seven kilometres from the finish.

Of the other British contingent, sprint specialist Mark Cavendish abandoned on Sunday while Charles Wegelius was 75th overall after stage nine, David Millar 144th and 21-year-old Geraint Thomas 163rd.

"When we first started putting into place out structure I said it would be 20 years before we could have a Tour winner, but now I believe it will be within 10 years," Cookson said.

"We have people capable of winning stages. Look at Wiggins' break, it was fantastic and he got four hours of publicity. It's just a matter of time before something exceptional happens."

Cookson gave his backing to British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford's dream of a British team in the Tour de France within a few years, saying it could become a model for the sport.

Brailsford is seeking a private backer for a national team that would run parallel with the successful Olympic track team.

"In terms of structure and coaching our road programme is now better than many professional teams," said Cookson.

"Ethically we're 100 percent committed to a clean sport, we do all our own testing and educate our riders about doping and not to go down that route.

"We are producing clean riders for Pro teams already so it makes sense to form a British team and keep them for us."