Luz-Ardiden, France

Tour de France, Stage 12: A Strong Finish

Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team confirmed his climbing form on the Tour de France's first major mountain stage by finishing fifth and gaining more time on several of the overall contenders.

Following Attacks

Following an attack by Frank Schleck in the final kilometers of the climb to Luz-Ardiden, Evans was among a select chase group that included Ivan Basso, Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador and Damiano Cunego. "The first real mountain top finish in the Tour there's always something you don't expect and something you do expect," Evans said. "It's still early in the mountains and it's a long way to Paris. If the team just keeps going as it has done every day so far, we'll really put ourselves in a great position and get ourselves in a great position in Paris."

Gaining Time

Olympic champion Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) rode away from Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) to take the stage win, while Frank Schleck (Team Leopard Trek) was third. Evans comfortably followed Basso home as defending Tour champion Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) conceded 13 seconds. Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) finished 20 seconds behind Evans to keep the yellow jersey with a 1:49 advantage over Frank Schleck and 2:06 over Evans in third. "You're never particularly comfortable in the Tour at any moment, right now included," Evans said. "We just have to stay calm for now and see how things go in the coming days."

Lavaur, France

Tour de France, Stage 11: 'Real Tour Starts Tomorrow'

Following a finish in a torrential downpour Wednesday, Cadel Evans and the BMC Racing Team are looking ahead to the first big day in the mountains of this year's Tour de France. "For us, the real Tour starts tomorrow," Evans said.

No Changes Overall
Evans finished 50th, but in the same time as sprint finish winner Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), while Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) held onto the race lead. The challenge on Wednesday's 167.5-kilometer stage was staying upright and out of danger, BMC Racing Team's Michael Schär said. "It was really incredible. There were so much rain," he said. "I don't think I've ever done the last 10 or 15 kilometers with so much rain. You couldn't see anything. I was expecting a crash in every moment, but we were lucky."

Into The Mountains
Thursday's stage will feature three climbs, including the ascent of Luz-Ardiden at the finish. "It's 211 kilometers long and it's pretty hard," Evans said. "The first stage in the mountains of any Grand Tour is always a bit of something where someone has a bad day and someone has an extraordinarily good day. It is always some degree of an indicator. I just make my own race and see how the others go and hopefully I'll be competitive – or better."

Carmaux, France

Tour de France, Stage 10: Back In The Saddle

Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team finished in the same time as the stage winner Tuesday as the overall standings remained unchanged following the first rest day of the Tour de France.

Nicer Roads

Andre Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotte) beat Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) in the sprint to win the 158-kilometer stage. Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) retained his lead and a 2:26 advantage over Evans, who is in third place. BMC Racing Team's Brent Bookwalter, one of several riders involved in a crash on a descent during Sunday's stage, said he appreciated the rest day. "My legs felt decent considering the first week we've had," he said. "My body still feels kind of beat up from the crash the other day. It was nice to come back with a slightly shorter stage, although it was a fast one. There were also nicer roads today, which was very welcome after being on so many goat paths for the first nine days."

Brutal Stages Coming

Wednesday marks the halfway point of the Tour in terms of stages, but not the midpoint as far as the selective kilometers, Bookwalter said. "The main selections or time gaps thus far have been from crashes and technical conditions," he said. "There are a lot of really brutal stages coming which are sure to shake up the GC (general classification) and really only one more day until those start," he said. "So far, we are still in a good position going into those days."

Super-Besse Sancy, France

Tour de France, Stage 8: Another Test

The BMC Racing Team successfully passed another test Saturday at the Tour de France, powering the pursuit of a breakaway and delivering Cadel Evans to the foot of the final climb – which he rode to a third-place finish to keep his second place overall. 

'Guys Have Been Great'

As Rui Costa (Movistar) was surviving out of the breakaway to take the stage win, Evans comfortably monitored a flurry of action in the final kilometer. Philippe Gilbert attacked and got a gap. Then Albertor Contador put in a dig. Damiano Cunego attacked and Evans successfully worked his way out of being momentarily boxed in. Gilbert held on for second, 12 seconds behind Costa, while Evans led the chase of the reduced peloton home in third, 15 seconds later. "We didn't lose any time to the main contenders and that is what is really important at this point," Evans said. "So far, the guys have been great."

On The Front

The BMC Racing Team did the majority of the chasing after a nine-man breakaway went away in the first 10 kilometers of the 189 km race and gained a six-minute lead. "We had five in the front, which was really good numbers, with a couple climbs to go," Evans said. "When it's going between raining and then dry, the risks are amplified. You take everything a little bit conservatively." Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) finished in Evans's group to hold onto the overall lead. Sunday's stage includes seven categorized climbs in 208 kilometers across the Massif central

BMC Racing Team

When you think of Australian cycling, you think of Cadel Evans. But when Cadel thinks of cycling, he thinks of the Tour De France and his chances of finally winning the Grand Tour. Born in 1977, Cadel Lee Evans has had an illustrious career in professional cycling, from his early days in XC MTB – riding for Volvo Cannondale, to his transition to road racing, and subsequent successes.

Cadel took part in his first major road race in 2001, winning the Tour of Austria and continuing his winning ways through to the 2002 Commonwealth Games, taking gold in the Individual Time Trial. But it wasn’t until Evans placed 8^th overall in the 2005 Tour De France, that the media started  to speculate Evans as a Grand Tour contender in years to come.

Three years later, and Cadel Evans placed 2^nd overall in the 2008 Tour De France. From this moment on, Evans was seen more as a Tour rider than anything else…  Until he went against his usual cautious and calculated approach in 2009, and won the World Championships with an all out attack; something never before seen from the Australian.

Come 2010, and the now 33 year old had a year of few major results, although still managing to win the Fleche Wallone. Unfortunately, a broken elbow saw Evans lose the maillot jaune and any Tour hopes. A few months of recovery, refocusing and training set Cadel Evans up for a busy year in 2011, which brings us to the present…

Leading into the 2011 Tour De France, Cadel Evans has set his eyes on the podium for yet another attempt at winning the biggest sporting event in the world. Having already won Tirreno Adriatico and the Tour de Romandie, it seems the Aussie is on the path to one of his most successful years yet.  Cadel feels “the smaller details are on the right track; getting to know team mates, refining equipment selection, course familiarisation” and clearly believes he can at least podium in the Grand Tour – and possibly even climb the top step of the podium.

The 2011 Tour De France starts in less than a week! For Cadel to realise his dream, he will have to be a dominant force for 21 stages, and over 3430 kilometres. He will have to survive the carnage of 10 flat stages and subsequent sprint finishes, and several mountain passes and summit finishes.

To finish the event can be career changing.

To win the event is life changing.

Here’s to Cadel! 

Photos: copyright Tim deWaele