Fresh Evans. Fresh chance to win the Tour de France?

//Fresh Evans. Fresh chance to win the Tour de France?

Fresh Evans. Fresh chance to win the Tour de France?

Cadel. Rested, rabid?

Cadel Evans is well-rested, no argument there.

Unlike previous years, he skipped the Giro, placed second in the Dauphine, did his mountain recons and is mentally fresh and physically chilled.

So what’s it all mean? A whole helluva lot, we think.

All stars appeared well-aligned for Evans who is still benefitting from the rainbow jersey boost in confidence and aggression. His legs are fresh, his mind is clear and he’s itching to hit the roads of La Grand Boucle.

Twisted Spoke feels like Evans is flying below the radar going into the 2011 Tour de France and that’s just how he wants it. While all the pre-race talk naturally focuses on the inevitable Contador and Schleck battle and guesswork on this years’ tour surprise rider, little has been said about Evan’s chances.

The quieter the better and silence is golden, or maybe in this case, yellow.

The Australian certainly isn’t throwing fuel on any fires with bold talk or pronouncements. It’s the usual Evans fare, “do my best, see how it goes, take it day-by-day.” Nothing to get the journalists worked up and spreading the internet buzz. The quotes are dull but the plan is rock solid.

As always, the question of Evan’s team strength is debatable but the man is so used to doing things on his own that eight guys wearing a BMC jersey is enough for him. He’s got Steve Marabito for the mountains and the rock-steady George Hincapie for the flats and race strategy and psychological calm.

Then there’s Marcus Burghardt and Brent Bookwalter, who will lend a hand and two legs in the team time trial. Anything else is an unexpected bonus.

What we left out is also Evan’s toughness — which was on display in last year’s Tour. He rode with hip and thigh injuries, then a fractured elbow in stage eight. He suffered even more than Ivan Basso in the mountains but grimly and doggedly soldiered on.

All in all, it’s as good a build-up as he’s had in years and the words “quietly confident” are probably a good fit.

By |2019-02-03T16:18:48-08:00June 28th, 2011|Uncategorized|6 Comments

About the Author:

6 Comments

  1. Guilherme Neves June 28, 2011 at 10:55 am - Reply

    Can't help to think that Evans real bid for 1st was 4/3 years ago. Now, podium it's all that is left for the Aussie. If he really wants to win a GT he needs to skip the Tour. Harsh, but true.

    • TwistedSpoke June 28, 2011 at 5:01 pm - Reply

      That may well be true but these days a 2nd or 3rd behind AC is almost a win. Matt

      • Kyle June 28, 2011 at 7:08 pm

        A 2nd behind AC may very well end up being a win a few months after the tour ends…

  2. @Tinea_Pedis June 29, 2011 at 8:14 pm - Reply

    Lets also not forget Moinard for the mountains.

    Oh and proof read, please! 😉

    • TwistedSpoke June 30, 2011 at 11:55 am - Reply

      Proof read? Why? Twisted SPoke has many twists and one of them is a high percentage of typos. We write fast, between work and two children and house chores and a shall we say demanding wife. We do our best but admit to typos galore. We fix as we go. Matt

  3. Lyndon June 30, 2011 at 1:44 pm - Reply

    I would dearly love to see Cadel win the Tour, but can't see it happening. I wOrry for him on Stage 14, if he looses less than 2 minutes on the Plateau de Beille he would have Had a good day;

Leave A Comment