Alex Dowsett becomes Movistar

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British time trial champion Alex Dowsett has left Team Sky to join Movistar for the 2013 season.

The 24-year-old from Essex joined Sky as a neo-pro rider in 2011 from the US-based Trek-Livestrong development team.

He has since shown his potential as a top time triallist, winning the British title in 2011 and 2012 and finishing eighth at this year's World Time Trial.

"It gives me new opportunities and Movistar have been itching to have me," Dowsett told BBC Essex.

"It's been fantastic at Team Sky. I thank them for everything they have done for me."

Dowsett missed out on a place in Great Britain's Olympic cycling team when his preparations were hampered by an elbow injury.

He also blamed his omission on the decision to allow drug cheats to represent GB at London 2012, with David Millar, who admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs in 2004, included in the squad.

He made headlines earlier this month when he described Lance Armstrong as a "legend" in the aftermath of the American's drugs ban.

But Dowsett said he was referring to what Armstrong had achieved in the fight against cancer and added he would not want to shake the Texan's hand.

The move to Movistar gives the Commonwealth Games silver medallist the opportunity to step into the main body of a team and to challenge for tour stage victories.

Movistar won the team classification at this year's Vuelta a Espana,where Alejandro Valverde also took the points and combination classifications.

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Valverde Clinches Movistar Stage Win

The final day in the mountains on Thursday was won by Alejandro Valverde of Movistar, who jumped out of the break and bridged across to team-mate Rui Costa with 35 kilometres to go before riding to a solo victory in Peyragudes on Stage 17.

However the Team Sky duo of Wiggins and Froome put him under real pressure on the final climb up to the ski station finish as they dramatically cut into his lead and distanced all their remaining rivals in the process, including third-placed Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale).

Froome crossed the line in second, just 19 seconds behind Valverde, with Wiggins right on his wheel in third. Nibali was 18 seconds further back in seventh.

It all means Wiggins, who is bidding to be the first British winner of the yellow jersey in Paris on Sunday, retains a lead of 2:05 over Froome and 2:41 over Nibali, with no other rider within five minutes of the maillot jaune.

Even Wiggins himself admits that an historic victory in Paris is now tantalisingly close, saying: "The minute we went over the Peyresourde I knew that was it. I still felt fantastic at that point. We hit the last climb and I went on the front. I just lost concentration and started thinking a lot of things. Froomey was egging me on for more but I knew that [the riders behind] were all gone.

"I knew someone was going to attack and I knew it was going to be hard. As they were fatiguing off I was feeling better and better, so it was actually getting slower the higher we got up. Once we went over the summit I knew Nibali was in trouble and a few of the other guys. I had a little chat with Froomey on the descent and that was it.

"Obviously we’ve got the time trial to come but that’s very much our domain. It’s all looking very good at the moment."

Wiggins began the short but sharp 143.5-kilometre route from Bagneres-de-Luchon in the yellow jersey for a 10th day, with Nibali knowing he had to make a move.

But it was Wiggins, with able support from Froome, who distanced the Italian on the finishing ascent.

Valverde led in the closing stages of the route as Wiggins took to the front of an eight-man group 4km from the summit of the day's final ascent, the 15.4km climb to Peyragudes.

Jurgen van den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) attacked, increasing the pace, before Froome took to the front, keeping the tempo high.

The relentless pace saw the group disintegrate and Nibali lost contact 3km from the summit.

Froome forged on and Wiggins latched on to his wheel before the Team Sky duo pushed on as their rivals lost touch and they closed in on Valverde all the way to the line.

Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) was fourth, three seconds further adrift, with Pierre Rolland (Europcar) fifth and Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) sixth, both 26 seconds behind Valverde.

Friday's 222.5km 18th stage from Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde features three classified climbs, but could end in a sprint finish. It's then a 53.5km time trial on Saturday before the final stage in Paris on Sunday