Britain's David Millar managed to contain his anger after the wheels literally came off his bid for a top finish in the final Tour de France time trial on Saturday.

The 30-year-old, who rides for Saunier Duval, finished the 55.5km race against the clock from Cognac to Angouleme well outside the top 10 after a pair of disastrous mechanicals cost him crucial time.

Millar initially blamed wheel producers Mavic, but later admitted he could not put his finger on exactly why the incidents happened.

"I've got no idea (why it happened)," he said. "The Mavic disc exploded in the first 500 meters. The rim came off the carbon, they gave me my spare bike, I went off, but after 300 meters that one went as well!

“I didn't give up, I went as hard as I could till the first time check and told myself that if I was inside a minute or under (the provisional leader's time), then I would keep on going, but that if I was over a minute I would just shut it down for tomorrow."

Millar arrived angry, but said he would be going into Sunday's final stage happy with his campaign, having come into the Tour below par.

"Considering the way I came into the Tour, condition-wise, I'm glad, it's gone well. I think in a few weeks I'll be able to race at my best," he said.

"Personally I've had a really good time, even though we've had all the crap (doping affairs) around it. My personal race, if I try to ignore what's gone on elsewhere, has been good."

And the Scot, who is one of the most outspoken riders against doping since completing a ban last June for EPO use, said he knew nothing of a rumored abandoning of Sunday's final stage on the Champs Elysees to protest against this year's scandal-tainted race.

"I don't know anything about it. If we all know what we're protesting about, then fine. But in my opinion it's not the solution," he added.

"There's going to be tens of thousands of people on the Champs-Elysees wanting to see the race, and I think it's up to us to race up and down it.

"Of course we still have to show some cohesion against the people who are still doping, but we've also got to race. And if we stop on the Champs-Elysees, in front of all those spectators, they're not going to understand what we're protesting about.

"I think it's best if we just get on with this race, and let the authorities and race organizers to try and bloody fix our sport."