A professional British cycling team will be set up under Olympic performance director Dave Brailsford with the target of winning the Tour de France within five years.

Team Sky is to be funded by BSkyB and managed by Brailsford, who will also continue to work as British cycling's performance director preparing for the London Olympics.

Brailsford insisted the new team would help rather than hinder the British cycling team's success in London.

He said: "The target is for a British winner of the Tour de France within five years and, like all the goals we set, it is achievable but very, very ambitious.

"But reach for the stars and you get the moon and that's what we want to strive towards."

The team will initially contain 25 riders rising to 30 and will have a British core of riders and management but with international cyclists too.

Brailsford added: "The reason we got excited about developing this project is that it will improve our chances at the Olympics."