Evans pessimistic over podium chances

Wiggins, says Evans, may even win the Tour

By Agence France Presse

Cadel Evans said Monday he expects the race to finish first in this year’s Tour de France to go down to the wire.

Unfortunately for Australia’s two-time runner-up, he does not believe he will even be in the running for a podium place.

Evans suffered his “worst ever day” on the world’s biggest bike race on Sunday when an inexplicable loss of power left him battling to keep pace with the favorites on the summit finish to Verbier on the 15th stage.

After finishing seventh at 1:26 behind stage winner and new race leader Alberto Contador, Evans is now 14th place overall at 4:27 behind the Spaniard.

For Evans, who has never finished lower than eighth place in his four Tours, the chance of even a podium place looks out of the question.

“I’m so far behind in the GC (overall standings) that I didn’t think anyone would show up today,” Evans told reporters at his rest day press availability.

With three climbing stages and a time trial have yet to come, Evans’ is trying to remain positive.

But the 32-year-old is under no illusions. He even believes Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, third overall at 1:46 behind Contador, has a chance of winning the Tour.

“At the moment I will just try to salvage what I can. Normally the third week is when I’m strongest,” said Evans. “But I have to be realistic, I’m four minutes down and each day I lose a little more time I’m getting further away.

“All I can do is claw back some places on GC, but from third to first is not easy, so from 14th …”

The Tour resumes Tuesday with the 16th stage from Martigny to Bourg Saint Maurice, but it is Wednesday’s 17th stage that is likely to stage the biggest battle for command of the race prior to the potential decider at Mont Ventoux on the penultimate stage on Saturday.

The 169.5km ride from Bourg Saint Maurice to Le Grand Bornand on the 17th stage includes five climbs and comes before Thursday’s individual time trial in Annecy.

Evans said it was “possible” he will be tempted to try and claw back some of his lost time on Wednesday, although he hinted that may not be an option if he is then to produce the time trial of his life 24 hours later.

“Whoever wants to be on the podium in Paris will have to do a great time trial. That means I will have to be phenomenal,” added Evans.

With Lance Armstrong still expected to finish on the podium and Andy Schleck two minutes ahead of him, Evans said he might expect to be pipped by Wiggins.

“I will be interested to see what he does in the final time trial,” said Evans.

Having lost two and a half minutes of his current deficit during stage four’s team time trial, when a disastrous performance by his Silence-Lotto team left them in 13th place, the mountains and the time trial are now Evans’ only chance to move back up the overall standings.

But after Sunday’s nightmare ride through Switzerland, where Evans lives, the Australian is not exactly bubbling with optimism.

“They say on the Tour that you always have one bad day, and I wasn’t feeling good at all,” said Evans. “You know when you start breaking the (race) down into 100-meter segments that you’re having a bad day.

“But given the way I was feeling (Sunday) it wasn’t a great deal of time differences (between the favorites).

“I’ve since heard the data from Alberto Contador’s climb and it’s really quite spectacular. The fact I finished just over a minute behind him is not so bad.”

Evans rode much of the climb with Armstrong and his Astana teammate Andreas Klöden, before finishing in seventh at 1:26, three seconds ahead of the German and nine seconds ahead of the American.

Wiggins ‘fantastic’

While discounting his own chances, Evans said Wiggins has just as good a chance of winning the Tour as Contador.

With the ever-impressive Wiggins in third overall at just 1:46 behind 2007 champion Contador, Evans believes the track pursuit specialist could go all the way.

“The way Wiggins is going I wouldn’t be surprised if he won the Tour de France,” Evans said. “He’s climbing really well and he certainly knows how to ride on the flat.”

Wiggins has been among the top ten from the start of the race and on the four mountain stages held so far the Olympic pursuit champion has confirmed the emerging climbing form he first showed at last month’s Giro d’Italia.

Wiggins said after Sunday’s stage, during which he attacked a group containing Lance Armstrong to finish fifth and 29secs ahead of the American, it had been a fantastic result.

“Fantastic, it’s really fantastic, I don’t know what to say,” said Wiggins. “I’m in great shape, I just keep thinking that. I kept that in my mind.”

If he can maintain his performance over the 16th and 17th stages in the Alps, Evans believes Wiggins can aim higher than his current third place.

“As an athlete he’s shown he’s very talented,” said Evans, a former mountain bike champion. “I don’t want to say that transforming to road from track is any easier than switching from mountain bike to road. But it’s quite a turnaround. He’s changed his physique and now he’s climbing very well.”

Asked whether he implied there might be suspicion surrounding Wiggins’ performances, Evans quickly said that was not his intent.

“Not at all. It’s more of a compliment. You have to give the compliment when it’s due,” he said. “It will be interested to see how Wiggins does in the (stage 18) time trial. The third week will be the toughest test for him.”

FILED UNDER: News / Road / Tour de France TAGS: Tour de France