Road racing in the United States isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when WorldTour riders travelled from Europe to the United States for world-class stage races.

“It’s kind of disappointing to see all those races gone,” says George Hincapie.

After a long and decorated career, the celebrated domestique retired from professional road racing in 2012. Hincapie raced in 17 editions of the Tour de France, playing an instrumental role in the victories of Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans. He also earned a victory at Gent-Wevelgem in 2001 and was a three-time U.S. national road racing champion. In 2012, he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, which led to him being stripped of two years of race results between 2004 and 2006. However, Hincapie has remained involved in the sport through various ventures, including owning a cycling team, organising events, running a cycling apparel company and helping his son, Enzo, achieve his cycling goals.

Cycling Weekly spoke to Hincapie, now 51, at the debut of his new gran fondo event, Gran Fondo Hincapie - Bentonville.

“I know a rider like me always looked forward to coming home. You know, back in the day [there was] Tour of Georgia, Tour of Utah, Tour of Colorado, Tour of California. We had tons of racing that we could plan our year around, and unfortunately, they don’t have that anymore.”

But that doesn’t mean that road riding in the United States is dead or that the United States doesn’t have a strong road presence. Athletes like Brandon McNulty, Kristen Faulkner, Matteo Jorgenson, and Sepp Kuss are proving to be dominant players on the world stage.

“On the positive side, there are a lot of really good American pros that are doing incredible over in Europe,” states Hincapie. “I think it’s just going to get better and better so in that sense, cycling is in a really good state in terms of how strong our talent is. But we need more races for sure.”

As amatuer and professional road races around the U.S. are discontinued, it’s hard to wonder what pathway is left for American riders looking to make the leap to professional road racing. While NICA has created a strong junior pathway for mountain biking, and gravel events are putting more emphasis on junior riders, road racing has not had the same luck. It appears that concerns around safety are pushing more and more people off roads and onto dirt.

Hincapie, who began riding with his dad when he was a child, recognises that people still want to ride and race on the road. And if presented with the opportunity for safe and well-organized events, people of all ages are eager to show up. That’s why he’s so keen on organising mass start events like the new Gran Fondo Hincapie - Bentonville, where families with children as young as 6 years old came out to experience the inaugural event in September.

Hincapie, who's a father of two, is also investing heavily in junior cycling as a way to grow the sport. His son, Enzo, is hoping to follow in his footsteps of becoming a professional cyclist. The 16-year-old recently won his sixth national title at the 2024 US Road National Championships. While Enzo is now proving his dominance in the U.S. junior races, Hincapie did not pressure him into riding.

“When he was ten, he hated hit,” Hincapie recalls. “I hated it too when I was a kid and my dad would be like, ‘no we’re riding.’ Then I got into it. Enzo’s followed sort of the same path.”

As the co-owner of the Gran Fondo Hincapie events, Hincapie has made it a point to prioritise junior cycling development.

“We try to put a Junior Challenge on with every event,” says Hincapie. The Junior Challenge is a race within the Fondo that offers a $10,000 prize purse for the fastest female and male riders on the Medio course. Juniors can either go for the overall race win, which offers $1,500 to first place, or they can focus on the two timed segments and earn the QOM/KOM $500 prize.

“In Greenville, we will have a Junior Challenge, as well, where we get a really solid field. So we have that racing element to try to get juniors out there. And even if they’re not hardcore cyclists, to go do the event and see if they like it, I think it’s really important for the foundation of cycling in the U.S. to still have road events. And that’s what we [Gran Fondo Hincapie] specialise in. We want to continue to promote road cycling as much as possible.”

While the road scene has changed drastically since the days when Hincapie raced, people still care about road racing. Riders like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel are animating the races and attracting the attention of 3.5 billion people worldwide. On the women’s side, more than 2 million spectators tuned in to watch each stage of the Tour de France Femmes.

Hincapie believes that in order to rebuild road cycling in the U.S., communities need to reinvest in it.

“I think this community [Bentonville] is really going to play a big role in it. They’re investing so much in cycling here, and they’re doing a lot to bring events like ours in," he says. "Hopefully, with some racing in the future. You see so many kids on bikes here.”

Hincapie believes that the future of road cycling in the U.S. is bright, better even than it was when he was racing 20 years ago.

“I was part of the dark era of cycling,” says Hincapie. “I think the sport is in such a better place now. [Athletes] will never be confronted with those decisions that we were. They’re so focused on nutrition, technology, altitude training. In many ways, they’ve surpassed the benefits of doping by technology.

The best teams. they have the training so dialled in, their nutrition so dialled in, which is a great thing. The focus on technology and the evolution of the sport and they’re getting faster and faster.”

So, how do you re-grow road cycling in the United States? You invest in the future and provide opportunities for the younger generations to flourish.

“I think having such good American talent, men and women, is going to help inspire a new generation of cyclists," says Hincapie.

"You always see that the better the pros do, the more it seems like younger guys get into it or get inspired. I think that’s going to really help and we’ll see a lot more talent head over to Europe. “

When Oscar Onley lines up for his Tour de France debut on Saturday, he'll do so with plates and pins holding his collarbone together.

It's a bone that cyclists know well, a common fracture among the bunch, but dsm-firmenich PostNL's young Scot knows it better than anyone. In an eight-month period this past year, Onley suffered three crashes, each of them leaving him with a broken collarbone.

When he received his race calendar in December, one race stood out: the Tour. "I knew that, if things went according to plan, then I would be here," Onley tells Cycling Weekly, poolside at his team hotel. Things, of course, did not go according to plan. 

After abandoning the Vuelta a España, his first Grand Tour, with a broken collarbone on stage two last August, the 21-year-old repeated the injury twice, first at January's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and then again at the Amstel Gold Race in April, two months before the Tour. 

"It's been a bit of an up and down season, but I know roughly how long it takes to come back from each injury, so I wasn't too stressed about the form or coming back in time," he says. 

"I think the most recent [collarbone break] was the quickest. I think I had three days off the bike, and then got on the trainer for a couple of days. I was on the road within the week."

Onley pulls down the neck of his t-shirt to reveal a grisly, pink scar on his left collarbone, decorated by dashes left from the stitches. He shows the same on his right side, slightly smaller in size. Each recovery, he says, was easier than the last. "Now I'm quite used to it," he smiles.

Although this year's Tour will mark Onley's debut, it won't be the dsm-firmenich PostNL rider first time at the race. "I went in 2013," he says. "We were on a family holiday, and the TT started nearby, so we got to go around all the teams and watch the riders warming up." 

His earliest cycling memory came three years before, watching Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck exchange blows on the Tourmalet at the Tour. "From there, Andy Schleck was kind of the first idol, I guess, that I wanted to be like growing up," Onley says. 

"I think if you went back and looked at my results as a youth and a junior, nothing really stood out," he adds. "I had some OK results, I was quite consistent, but I was never winning the big races, or winning many races, really. It was quite a bit of a gamble that the team signed me onto the devo team in 2021."

The gamble paid off, and before long, Onley was tussling with a Tour winner himself. Racing with DSM at the 2022 CRO Race, just 19 years old, the Scot went toe-to-toe with Jonas Vingegaard, pushing the recent yellow jersey winner to his limits.

"From there, a lot of people had expectations on me, and a lot of them were pretty unrealistic going into my first season as a pro," he says, "but myself and my team knew my level. We didn't try to go for things that were unrealistic. 

"Just because I was close to [Vingegaard] there didn't mean I was going to be close to him in the Tour the following year. It's quite a big difference between the races, but obviously racing against a name like that gives you a lot of confidence as well."

Onley would have to wait another 15 months before his breakthrough win came, when he surged away on Willunga Hill at the Tour Down Under, claiming the stage and his first professional victory. 

Now, he's hoping to repeat the feat on the biggest platform of them all. "It's like a childhood dream [being here]," he says of the Tour. "Everything's just five times as big [as other races I've done], I would say. 

"My personal, and the team's, goal is to try and get a stage win," he says. "I can say that I'm coming for experience, but you can also get experience trying to go for the win. I'll be looking for breaks throughout the three weeks, and hopefully I've got the legs to at least be up there and show my face on the stages that suit me." He has already earmarked stage two into Bologna - "It's quite a good one for me."

Afterwards, the aim is to "keep trending upwards," Onley adds. No more collarbone breaks, just a smooth trajectory to fulfilling his potential. 

"Hopefully, next year, I'll be at a level where I can start to aim for GC in a Grand Tour," the 21-year-old says, but he won't be drawn on naming a single ambition. "I just have to see where I'm at," he says. "I could say I want to win the Tour, but I don't know just now if that's reasonable or not. I have to see when the time's right." 

Early on in yesterday’s stage 12 at the Tour de France, an inattentive owner allowed their dog to wander into the peloton causing a small crash involving stage one winner, Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl).

Lampaert, who took this year’s first yellow jersey, was left with a large bleeding wound on his right thigh after the incident. Crashing early on in the stage in unfortunate circumstances was far from ideal on a long day of climbing in the Alps for the Quick-Step rider. 

The Belgian rider finished more than 40 minutes behind the stage winner on Alpe d’Huez, Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), and the effects of the incident were very visible. 

Reflecting on the incident Lampaert said: "Suddenly that beast crossed the street and I had no way out, I went crazy. Especially at the start of such a tough ride I could miss that.”

Stage 12 for Lampaert was meant to be about shepherding the winner of stage two, teammate Fabio Jakobsen, across the high mountains but instead he was forced to ride at his own pace and nurse his injuries hoping to make the time-cut. 

After crossing the finish line, the angry Belgian said: “After already many times; please keep your dog at home!!!!!”

The Tour de France has previously seen crashes caused by dogs wandering into the action. In 2007, German rider Marcus Burghardt of T-Mobile was unhurt after a dog caused him to fly over his handlebars. 

Apart from the incident involving Lampaert, no other crashes have been caused by negligence from those on the road side at this year's Tour. 

After the horrific pile-up last year involving the notorious ‘Allez Opi-Omi’ banner, spectators have, on the whole, respected the race this time around. Although, of course, climate change protesters did bring stage 10 to a temporary halt with a sit-down protest on the road.

POOCHES OF THE PELOTON

Unlike the instigator of Lampaert's crash, two well-behaved canines have been spotted amongst different team entourages at this year’s race. 

EF Education-EasyPost’s Alberto Bettiol had his beloved pooch, Piumo, at the stage 12 finish on Alpe d’Huez. 

Piumo came along to offer barks of encouragement to his master on the difficult stage. He was being looked after by former Paris-Roubaix winner, Andrea Tafi, at the finish line. Bettiol’s partner is the daughter of the famed Italian classics specialist. 

At the Arkea-Samsic team bus, another very well behaved boy has been spotted at this year’s Tour de France. 

Petrus, a black and tan Rottweiler cross belonging to sprinter Hugo Hofstetter, has made a cameo on three stages at the race, keeping his master company before and after long days in the saddle. 

Petrus has been the epitome of calm at the world’s biggest bike race, handling the pressure like the most experienced of pros as he keeps Hofstetter company outside the bus. Hopefully he offered up a cuddle of consolation to Hofstetter's teammate, poor old Warren Barguil, after he was caught on Wednesday’s stage to Col du Granon by Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma). 

The amount of people at the Tour isn’t a problem for Petrus. Hofstetter’s partner has brought him along to races before enabling him to cope with the crowds from an early age. 

Petrus really is a 21st century boy- he even has his own instagram profile. 

On his own social media channel he can be seen snoozing on the sofa, celebrating his birthday and playing in Christmas socks last December. 

"DON'T STAND ON MY DOG!" 

Former Tour de France champion Cadel Evans used to enjoy bringing his beloved dog Molly to races during his career. 

Molly hit the headlines at the 2008 Tour de France, becoming famous after a reporter very nearly trod on her tail. 

Evans, who was being interviewed after losing the yellow jersey on stage 15, famously shouted at the journalist after spotting the incident. 

“Don’t stand on my dog! I’ll cut your head off!”, the 2011 Tour de France winner said as he leapt to Molly’s defence. 

Multiple grand-tour winner Alberto Contador is another former rider who enjoys company from two giant grey dogs. 

The Spanish rider regularly posts videos and photos on social media of him enjoying walks and playing in the garden with his two pet Weimaraners. 

Meanwhile at this year’s race, if Hugo Hofstetter completes every sprinter's dream of winning on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, keep an eye out for Petrus joining in the final stage celebrations. 

Come on ASO, he’s been a good boy all race. Let him on the podium. 

Cadel Evans has shared his tips for the Giro d’Italia favourites, as the race returns to the famous gravel stage from the 2010 Tour. 

Evans, 44, was the winner the last time the Giro took on the unpaved roads to Montalcino 11 years ago and said riders had never before seen a spectacle like it. 

The retired Australian pro, former world champion and Tour de France winner, said the general classification favourites need to embrace the white roads of Italy and don’t take any risks, while he believes race leader Egan Bernal has the advantage.

In an interview with Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Evans said: “As a former mountain biker, Bernal has the advantage. We saw that on Sunday. Your bike reacts differently on gravel. You can tell from everything that Bernal has that feeling. My advice to Evenepoel: do not misunderstand this and certainly do not take any risks in your equipment. Tires, wheels: play safe as much as possible and make sure that you are not unlucky in the first place.”

Evans won the stage to Montalcino on day seven of the 2010 Giro, battling through torrential downpours to finish two seconds ahead of Damiano Cunego on the day.

But despite the memorable stage win, Evans wasn’t able to take home the maglia rosa that year, as Ivan Basso went on to win the race overall despite losing two minutes on the gravel - prompting Evans to tell this year's favourites not to panic if they lose time. 

Evans, a mountain biker before his illustrious road career, said: “Don't complain about whether or not such a stage belongs in a grand tour. Ten years ago this was completely new. Dirt roads in big laps, that did not happen. 

“When I won, the Tour of California took place at the same time. My teammates sat with their mouths open at breakfast watching that ride in the Giro. They had never seen such a spectacle. But I loved it. For me, everything came together in this ride that I stood for as a rider.” 

Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) is likely to be the favourite for the victory on stage 11, having won the uphill gravel finish to Campo Felice last weekend, and having finished third in Strade Bianche earlier this year. 

>>> 'He needs to be aggressive': Egan Bernal must continue to attack in the mountains to win Giro d'Italia, says former coach 

Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) will be trying to limit any losses, as he currently sits 15 seconds behind Bernal with 11 stages left to race. 

Evenepoel, racing his maiden Grand Tour and his first race for nine months, is the stronger time triallist of the pair and will be hoping to keep Bernal within reach for the final stage time trial on stage 21 in Milan.  

On stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia 2019, Marco Haller (Katusha-Alpecin) had just completed the 158km course from Cuneo to Pinerolo and clambered over the first category climb to Montoso, only for a fan to try and rip a bidon out of the Austrian's mouth.

Of course, he exploded. Unleashing a torrent of abuse towards this spectator, and justifiably so. With the pressure endured by professional cyclists, it's little surprise that when things go wrong tempers can fray. In celebration of pros getting a bit hot under the collar, we have put together the best cycling hissy fits.

These videos are similar to our round-up of the best bike throws, but stroppier.

Warning: Videos contain verbal, written and/or gestured swearing

Let's start with Marco Haller's visceral attachment to his bidon

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 7/10

After crossing the finish line, Marco Haller is just minding his own business, probably making his way to the team bus after ticking off another stage of the Giro d'Italia 2019, when a fan reaches out and tries to snatch his bidon.

Haller, clearly attached to his bidon and not appreciating a stranger trying to wrench it out of his mouth, stops his bike and confronts the fan, using some bad language and asking "what is wrong with you?"

A steward then gets in between Haller and the spectator, before the Austrian starts to cycle away and threatens to knock the spectator down. Fight!

Marcel Kittel doesn't like that rear wheel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw1cKD5nAWg

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 9/10

The final stage of the Tour de France is called, by some, the world championships for sprinters. The classifications are wrapped up and most of the peloton enjoys the processional stage into Paris.

But for the quick men, the final finish line on the Champs-Élysées is often the biggest prize of the whole three weeks.

Marcel Kittel had only one stage to his name coming into the final day of the 2016 Tour and had won here before in both 2013 and 2014, so the pressure was high - even if he found it to not be high enough in his tyres...

Unfortunately, a sequence that ended with him lobbing a rear wheel (which bounced and hit a rival team car) showed that perhaps this year the pressure was too much. Kittel chased back on but did not feature in the final sprint.

What preceded the footage shown above was Kittel at first changing bikes and then finding something wrong with the rear wheel on the new bike, which is the one he sent flying.

At least he didn't throw his whole bike this time.

Thibaut Pinot will only ride Thibaut Pinot's bike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-8aTmG3vNk

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 9/10

Pinot was not best pleased when he required a bike change on the cobbled stage at the 2015 Tour, and his team car was nowhere in sight.

Offered a teammate's machine, he made it more than clear that this was not the solution he wanted.

Meanwhile, Tony Martin also suffered a mechanical, gladly accepted his teammate's bike, blew everyone away with a solo break and moved into the yellow jersey at the 2015 Tour de France.

It's this contrast in attitudes that gives Pinot such a high hissometer score.

Don't touch Cadel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikzgWE3t0A

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 9/10

Happy to have moved into the yellow jersey, and receive the prize lion that comes with the race lead, Cadel Evans did not appreciate someone stroking its mane/tapping him on the shoulder.

Thankfully it wasn't his little dog this time, otherwise he may have reacted even more strongly.

Cav's helmet bears the brunt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro2nDhJ6Wp8

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 8/10

Not really a classic bike throw, more of an annoyed drop, it's Mark Cavendish's helmet that really gets a throwing.

Following a failed attempt at a sprint stage win in the 2010 Tour de France, Cav's frustration boiled over on his return to the team bus.

This incident paled into insignificance when he won the final stage on the Champs-Elysées to take his tally that year to five stages.

Don't nick Robbie's bottle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7O1yMRYSQo

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 8/10

15 years before Haller's bidon-gate episode, Robbie McEwan is rolling back to the team bus after a rain soaked team time trial at the 2004 Tour de France, and was less than happy when some young fans made a dash for his water bottle.

Retrieving the bottle and letting them know what he thinks in no uncertain terms, the Australian sprinter will have left his mark on the people of Arras.

Wiggo clashes with a cameraman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzHmhgjL2pc

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 8/10

Chasing stage winner Peter Sagan, the cameraman had no time to check if the race favourite was within headshot of his swinging camera. Not to worry though, Bradley Wiggins made his presence known.

Warning: explicit verbal and written language on this one

Tommy Voeckler is not happy

https://youtu.be/mgsepZux4kw?t=40s

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 8/10

During his personal best stint of 10 stages in the yellow jersey at the 2011 Tour, Thomas Voeckler buried himself to hold the race lead for as long as he could.

That effort took its toll, as we can see here when he makes his feelings known to his faithful teammates. This isn't a one-off, Tommy V has previous in terms of losing his rag mid-race.

Cavendish: annoyed with the attention of a cameraman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwgksFCBet8

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 7/10

To be fair, I'd be quite irritated if I'd just finished a natural break and someone on a motorbike was pointing a camera at me.

Here we find Cavendish making his feelings about the moto perfectly clear as he chases back on to the peloton at the Tour de France.

A dog is not Gilbert's best friend

Cycling Weekly hissometer score: 6/10

This is not the first time an irresponsible dog owner or inattentive parent has allowed their animal/child to cause havoc at the Tour de France.

This time though, Philippe Gilbert puffed out his chest and stormed over to let the errant pet owner know what he thought of them. It's a bit of an anti-climax.

For those keen to point out riders chucking their bikes around, have a look at our round-up of the best bike throws.

If you've spotted any more cycling hissy fits, let us know.  

Team Sky's Chris Froome may not be as strong in Tour de France with the Giro d'Italia planned and rivals will take advantage, says 2011 Tour winner Cadel Evans.

Australian Evans won his only Tour title with BMC Racing and he now works as an advisor and ambassador for the team, which includes Froome's rival and former star domestique Richie Porte.

>>> 100 Best Road Riders of 2017: #4 Chris Froome

Froome, who already counts four Tour titles, announced he will race the Giro d'Italia this May 4 before trying for the Giro/Tour double and a fifth Tour win.

"He will be the favourite but if he finally does the double, he may not be as strong in France as last year," Evans told Marca.

Evans mentioned that he is following Froome's salbutamol case which could could see his 2017 Vuelta a España title stripped and him potentially forced to scrap his 2018 Giro plan.

With Porte in team BMC Racing, Evans said that they "would take advantage of the opportunity" if Froome showed any weakness from the Giro.

"[Porte] had a great opportunity in 2017, but in the end he was unlucky with the crash. I think he has all the physical characteristics to win it. He is trained, but we have to work together to forget the problems and bad luck, and this time, yes, get on the podium."

Their eyes will be on Froome. Evans twice rode the Giro and Tour – in fifth and 24th in 2010 and third and 39th in 2013 – so he knows what Froome will be facing.

"It's a difficult combination," Evans continued. "This year it's true that the Tour will start a week later [July 7], but there's a big difference because it comes at a crucial moment of recovery and it's close, so it will be interesting to see how his body responds."

News leaked on December 13 that Froome failed an anti-doping test for high amounts of asthma drug salbutamol in the 2017 Vuelta a España.

He said, "I took the greatest care to ensure that I did not use more than the permissible dose. I will provide whatever information it requires."

Froome and Team Sky are trying to prove that no foul play was involved. The case could drag on for months, in which time Froome is free to race. He confirmed his aims are still the Giro and going for a record-equalling fifth Tour win.

If issued a six-month ban, for example, he would still have time to return for the Giro. However, any decision in the Froome case could be appealed by both him or the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Vincenzo Nibali is set to finish his year with one last hill-climb test, joining fellow Tour de France winner Cadel Evans in the Taiwan KOM Challenge on Friday, October 20.

Italian Nibali and Australian Evans will tackle the 105-kilometre hill climb, rising to 3,275 metres from the coast to the mountainous interior of Taiwan.

Recent Il Lombardia winner Nibali will be taking part alongside his brother Antonio, Bahrain-Merida team-mate Feng Chun-Kai, and a few thousand amateur riders. Also present will be American former-pro-turned-Strava-KOM-hunter Phil Gaimon.

Watch: How to master a long climb

As for the course itself, well that puts even the Vuelta's huge summit finish to Sierra Nevada in the shade with both its length and steepness.

Starting off at a steady gradient of three to four per cent, the climb gets steeper and steeper as the road goes higher and the air gets thinner for the riders.

Cruelly the steepest section is saved for the very end, with a long section at more than 20 per cent and a maximum gradient of 27 per cent after nearly 100km of climbing.

Former World Champion and 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans believes Chris Froome can successfully defend his Tour title next year.

Speaking to Fox Sports in Australia, Evans talked about the British rider's chances of taking his third Tour win in four years.

“For him I think it’s possible,” he said. “He’ll be the only rider in this era who’ll be able to go back-to-back, barring illness and injury.”

Injury, of course, is the reason Froome did not defend his title in 2014 when he crashed out on stage five. Alberto Contador also crashed out that year leaving Vincenzo Nibali a clear run at the title.

Evans also talked about the new dynamic at his former team, BMC. The team has been led by Tejay van Garderen since Evans's retirement, but have brought on Richie Porte in a co-leadership capacity for 2016.

When speaking to Herald Sun the 38-year-old was asked about van Garderen's likely feelings towards the co-leader approach in WorldTour races.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to wait and see," he conceded.

“It will probably give you a bit to talk about. It’s one of the things you’ll be able to follow with interest next year.”

Recent history shows us that, despite any tension, two riders can do well on the same team in a Grand Tour. Evans was unable to defend his Tour title in 2012, when Sky duo Sir Bradley Wiggins and Froome finished first and second, respectively.

Since then, Movistar took second and third at this year's Grand Boucle with Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde.

However, with Porte and van Garderen never having been on the podium of a Grand Tour a similar performance from BMC might be out of reach.

Tour de France 2011 winner Cadel Evans sees himself in new world champion Peter Sagan: someone undervalued but wins big.

Evans retired on February 1; he too won the Worlds in 2009. The title was a turning point in his career, afterwards joining BMC, winning La Flèche Wallonne and, of course, becoming the first Australian to stand on top of the Tour's podium.

Team Tinkoff-Saxo's Sagan came under fire the last two years for falling short in the big one-day monuments. However, he attacked solo in Richmond, Virginia, to win the Worlds. He now has the right to wear the rainbow jersey for one year.

When asked by La Gazzetta dello Sport about 2015's best performances, Evans said:"I'll select two, Sagan at the Worlds and Nibali in Lombardia,"

"Not because they are the last ones, and they are the freshest. They are what cycling's about.

"Behind the wins there's much character. Take Sagan. Many speak against him, they say that he never wins. A little like me, before the Worlds and Tour...But the talent came out. It was simply inevitable that someone like him would win something important."

Sagan explained earlier this month that the monuments from Milan-San Remo to Paris-Roubaix are still on his radar. They will be his main goals of the coming 2016 season.

"I'm very proud of this jersey. I can wear it, and I'm also very happy to race in it, I want to and I'll keep fighting for the best possible results," Sagan said.

"If I'm going to race, I want to do the classics. [Winning a monument is] what I want to do. I have to try."

Evans, 38, lives in Switzerland and continues working with BMC Racing as an ambassador.

"Never," Evans said when asked if he had regrets about retiring.

"I crossed the finish line, drew a line and restarted. The next day, I was on my bike. People used to see me and ask about the upcoming races. Now, they say, 'How nice to see you riding.'"

On and off the bike, Cadel Evans has produced some memorable moments. Well, according to YouTube, most of those seem to have come off the bike.

Australia's most successful cyclist called time on his long and prestigious career in February, a career that saw him not only take the top accolades on the road, including the 2011 Tour de France and the 2009 World Championship Road Race, but off-road as well, taking victory at the Mountain Bike World Cup twice in the cross-country event.

Here we take a small glimpse back at the career of the man they call 'Cuddles' as told by YouTube, from some of his more temperamental moments to some of his greatest wins, ordered by the number of views they've received on the video site.

1. "Don't touch me!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikzgWE3t0A

Evans had a few run-ins with journalists at the Tour de France, and this one in 2008 is probably the most infamous. Appearing alongside his personal bodyguard Serge Borlee, the high pitch telling off and the hand slap the journalist receives shows that the Tour leader really, really doesn't want to be touched.

2. "I cut your head off!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fe79ZuDKfk

If Cadel doesn't want you to touch him, then he definitely doesn't want you to touch his dog. The Tour de France lasts a long time, so who wouldn't want some canine companionship while your vying for victory in the world's biggest bike race? No shrieking or slapping here though in 2008, just the calmly uttered threat of "I cut your head off." This moment became so popular that the man himself even started selling t-shirts that said "DON'T STAND ON MY DOG" on the front.

>>> Cadel Evans: Love him or hate him, the show’s almost over

3. The headbutt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrpL6BA6PBQ

Seriously, don't touch him.

4. Cadel accidentally sprays Cav

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBtqSRsVkBc

Not only will Cadel Evans slap you, scream at you, threaten to decapitate you if you touch him (or his dog), but he'll also chuck water over you, as this unfortunate man adorning the Vittel outfit found out. What Cadel doesn't realise however, is that there's a just as temperamental rider in the firing line. The best part is definitely watching the moment of realisation that it's Mark Cavendish he's just lightly sprayed, with desperate apologies and a shake of the head to follow. Smooth.

5. The Righi fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyswFf7wpgc

Some fisticuffs in the bunch now, as the rainbow clad Evans takes exception to the actions of one Daniele Righi at the Giro d'Italia in 2010, saying at the time that “Righi made a mistake, he’s dangerous. He went to the front and braked. You don’t do that." Obviously Righi didn't get the 'no touching' memo either.

6. Showdown at Grenoble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DUK3JzNlo4

Now to the proper stuff. Evans' win at the Tour de France in 2011 was the crowning glory of a particularly successful career, leaving it until late in the day to make his move. The Australian smashed the time trial on the penultimate stage of the Tour, to overturn a 57 second deficit to leader Andy Schleck and steal the yellow jersey. Chapeau.

>>> The 2011 Tour de France: Cadel Evans' perfect race

7. 2009 World Championships win

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksUhMa2eFTo

Evans broke away from the bunch on the final lap of the 262km race in Mendrisio, Switzerland in 2009, to take the world championship title . The first Australian to win it, Evans went on to join BMC the next year, winning a stage at the Giro and spring classic La Flèche Wallonne in the rainbow jersey. No curse here.

Luke Rowe dedicates the majority of his time supporting Sky team-mates but got the rare chance to vie for his own victory working with Peter Kennaugh at the end of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race yesterday.

The 24-year-old finished the inaugural one-day event fourth behind Gianni Meersman (Ettix-QuickStep), Simon Clarke (Orica-GreenEdge) and Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin) in what was a good learning curve for he and British national road champion Kennaugh especially.

Sky riders were given a free role in the punchy 174km circuit race in and around Geelong, Victoria as opposed to supporting one contender as had been the case at the preceding Tour Down Under where almost the same team worked for runner-up Richie Porte.

Kennaugh committed to supporting Rowe in the small group sprint finish after his own notable attempts to force multiple moves throughout didn’t stick.

“It was just an open race to do what we wanted so whenever I can do what I want, instead of working for the team, I always like to get my head out there and get involved,” the Manxman said.

Rowe bridged across to the lead group, which included Kennaugh, within the final 10km of the race and was in the mix along the home straight, however, sprinted too early in a headwind finish and faded in the last 100m.

“We work for the other guys so much you forget how to do those kind of race situations, when you’re not in that position very often these days,” Kennaugh said. “It’s good to do and get experience for the future.”

It’s a sentiment that Rowe, whose last victory was the opening stage of the 2012 Tour of Britain, agreed with.

“It’s a good point,” he said. “I’ve been a pro three years now and 99 per cent of the races I just commit to other guys. Here we all had our own role, it was a free race, and you do have to get used to how to win again. As an amateur you do it week in and week out but, here, it’s something I haven’t done for a while, sprinted for the win.

“The difference is when you’re working for other guys, your finish line is one kilometre to go, two kilometres to go, the bottom of a climb,” Rowe continued. “Racing for yourself you have to start predicting when to kick and doing those little things that make the difference between winning and losing.”

Sky embarked on a staff restructure prior to the new WorldTour season and is set to have an increased presence at smaller races throughout the year with rider development outside of its established Grand Tour winning hierarchy in mind.

Kennaugh will work closely with esteemed coach Rod Ellingworth now as he looks to make more of a mark on the road after a 2014 campaign in which title honours at the British national road championship, Coppi e Bartali and the Tour of Austria reminded the 2012 London Olympic team pursuit gold medallist of how to race as a winner.

“After last year with a few results and stuff you get it back quickly, but when you spend four years doing a domestique role, or getting bottles, keeping the guys out the wind and in position for the climbs, when it comes in to sprint finishes like that [in Geelong], or the thick end of a bike race where it’s all going off, you can see the guys who have experience racing in that position,” he said. “They’re so much wiser and use their efforts so much smarter. I think it’s something I’ve got to work on, just holding back a bit and being more clever with efforts.

“It’s taken me a few years to get that consistency on the road and that strength where I can come to races and race, rather than take half a season to get going, or being in the back group and then finding form later in the year,” he continued. "It’s good for my confidence to come here and race against some of the top riders in the world, and not just be hanging on and trying to stay in there.”

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

Australia's most decorated road cyclist Cadel Evans called time on his career today at an inaugural name title race that Belgian Gianni Meersman won.

Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep) beat Simon Clarke (Orica-GreenEdge) and Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin) in a small group sprint to be declared the first winner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

The 29-year-old entered the one-day race in Geelong, Victoria on the back of the Tour Down Under and was confident of his form during the event designed to emulate a spring classic.

"I really felt good so I said to the guys, 'please ride as fast as you can to bring me to the finish, and I'll do my best to finish it off,'" Meersman said. "It's my first win of 2015 so of course I'm really happy."

Evans was one of nine men including British national road champion Peter Kennaugh and Sky team-mate Luke Rowe that contested the headwind finish at the end of the unpredictable 174km race. Sky riders were given a free role in the event, which Kennaugh was particularly aggressive throughout. Rowe, with the Manxman's support, launched an early sprint for the line but faded in the last 100m, placing a respectable fourth.

>>> Cadel Evans: Highs and lows of a 20-year career

"I'm happy to have made it in such a select group given I'm not a climber, but then to mess up a sprint like that when you haven't got many opportunities is quite frustrating," Rowe said.

Evans marked the end of a career, spanning some 20 years, in front of mass crowds that spanned all around the circuit course despite poor weather.

"Trying to win the race was my main concentration but I really had to remind myself today it was a moment I had to enjoy as well," Evans said. "Because it is my last month I've appreciated it. It's been a real pleasure."

The peloton set-out at 11.20am local time in conditions more akin to a bad day in Belgium than Australian summer with grey sky and rain contributing to a more conservative start. Riders travelled along rolling roads and through coastal towns close to Evans's Australia base of Barwon Heads before hitting the selective finishing circuit.

The 20.2km circuit, which the peloton lapped three times, included aspects of the 2010 UCI Road World Championships course and with three successive climbs proved to be selective.

The first main break including Laurent Didier (Trek), Marco Frapporti (Androni-Giocattoli), Josh Taylor (ChasrterMason-Giant) and Darcy Woolley (African Wildlife Safaris) escaped within the opening 15km of the race with Brodie Talbot (Budget Forklifts) bridging across later. The group marked a maximum time advantage of five minutes but was eventually caught with Cannondale-Garmin setting a furious pace, splitting the main group in crosswinds some 90km in, where the race began in earnest. From there it was all about attacks, counter-attacks, tactics and legs.

Rachel Neylan (Building Champions) celebrated a solo victory in the women's race on Saturday ahead of Valentina Scandolova (Orica-AIS) and Tessa Fabry (High5 Dream Team).

Results
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2015, 174km
1. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step 4-15-22

2. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

3. Nathan Haas (Aus) Cannondale-Garmin

4. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky

5. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC

6. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha

7. Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin

8. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC

9. Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Sky at 7secs

10. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM at 9secs

Cadel Evans knows he will have his work cut out if he wants to win his final race as a professional on Sunday, despite designing the course.

The 2011 Tour de France champion bows out at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, but believes the route he’s set favours a sprinter.

>>> Cadel Evans: Love him or hate him, the show’s almost over

Evans, 37, will lead his team on a custom-made BMC Timemachine, painted blue to match the ocean.

“The course doesn’t suit me all that well,” he told the Herald Sun. “I designed it to make a great race, not a great race for me.

“I want it to be an interesting race not just for the one year I’ll ride it but for the 20, 30 or 50 years for which it may have the potential to continue.”

Going out on a high is what Evans has planned with his race around Geelong – the location of his 2009 World Championship win.

>>> Cadel Evans and Oakley working together on ‘Future of Cycling’

But the man who’ll go down as the greatest ever Australian cyclist predicts new national champion Heinrich Haussler will take the win.

“Any race is nice to win - if you don’t want to win a race you probably shouldn’t be in competitive cycling,” he added.

“This is no different. But I’ll be the most watched rider, the most controlled rider.

“I’m guessing it might be one of the sprinters who can climb a bit.”

Cadel Evans rolled past Rohan Dennis beyond the finish line in Paracombe at the end of stage three of the Tour Down Under on Thursday and gave his BMC teammate the thumbs up.

As well he might: the two Australians are now first and second on general classification, with Dennis in the leader’s ochre jersey. And yet it hadn’t gone exactly to plan.

Dennis was supposed to attack at the foot of the climb, but the run-in was fast and hectic and the 24-year-old found himself too far back. Evans followed Richie Porte when he accelerated, but gradually Dennis and the others came back, then Dennis jumped, won the stage and took the jersey. Evans is second at seven seconds.

A thumbs-up from his leader was the most he could expect, said Dennis, because Evans “is a man of few words.”

The plan is still for Evans to win his final stage race, he is on track to do so and he is clearly in form. In fact, as you watched him shadow Porte, you briefly wondered whether he is retiring too soon. Then you remembered that he turns 38 next month.

Prominent Australian riders have paid their tributes to Evans over the last few days, acknowledging him as the country’s greatest ever rider. That is probably fair – nobody else has won the Tour – even if Phil Anderson, the first Australian to wear the yellow jersey, deserves to be recognised as the real pioneer.

Greg LeMond paid a different kind of tribute, suggesting that Evans’ Tour victory, in 2011, was only possible because the sport was cleaner. LeMond shared his belief that Evans lost some of the best years of his career, and other opportunities to win Grand Tours, to others’ doping.

Which may be true, and yet Evans has remained a divisive figure. Some loved his grit and determination: nobody could suffer like Evans, and his Tour victory was a triumph of perseverance. Others bemoaned his lack of flair and panache.

Some loved the fact that there was nothing flash about Evans. He was all about winning bike races, not becoming famous. He was authentic. Yet he was also one of the first riders (after Lance Armstrong) to employ the services of a bodyguard at the Tour de France (a former policeman nicknamed the ‘Muscles from Brussels,’ who had previously protected Armstrong).

He didn’t court the press. Some liked that. Others (the press) didn’t. Memorably, he threatened to cut journalists’ heads off if they stepped on his dog (long story). He was bad-humoured.

Yet he had a sense of humour (turning the “cut your head off” quote into a T-shirt). After a heavy crash during that same 2008 Tour he was bundled into a team car, ignoring the scrum of journalists outside, apart from to wind down the window and hand one of them his broken helmet, with the words, “There’s your interview.”

Enigmatic is a good word for Evans. But there are lots of others. Impenetrable. Serious. Intelligent. Shy. Emotional. Complex. Eccentric. In his book, Domestique, Charly Wegelius tells of the time he was signed to Evans’ team and the two arranged to meet for dinner. Evans arrived with his wife and an expensive bottle of wine, which he placed on the table. And there it sat. At the end of the evening he stood up, said his goodbyes and left, taking the bottle of wine with him.

Evans was unusual in other respects. He was someone with a hinterland beyond his sport. When the Olympic Games went to Beijing how many top athletes spoke out against China’s treatment of the Tibetan people? Evans did. “I just feel really sorry for them,” he said. “They don’t harm anyone and they are getting their culture taken away from them. I don't want to see a repeat of what happened to Aboriginal culture [in Australia] happen to another culture.”

At moments like this he offered an appealing glimpse of himself. Perhaps the only source of regret as he prepares to ride off into retirement at the end of an admirable, impressive career, is that this “man of few words” didn’t do it more often.

Nine of the top Australian Tour de France cyclists will be selected as part of a Cycling Australia honorary team to celebrate the first Tour riders from the country.

So far, 50 Australian cyclists have ridden Le Tour since Don Kirkham and Iddo ‘Snowy’ Munro became the first to take it on 100 years ago.

The ‘Team of the Century’ will be announced by Cycling Australia at the Jayco Australian Cyclist of the Year Awards in Melbourne on Friday November 21.

Nine riders will be selected for specific roles including:

• Two riders for the GC
• Two key domestiques to support the GC riders
• One sprinter
• Two leadout men for the sprinter
• One all rounder
• One team captain

Chair of the selection committee Peter Bartels AO said the biggest challenge will be comparing generations.

“Unfortunately, with just nine spots on a Tour de France team, there’ll be world-class riders, who have done wonderful things for Australian cycling, who will miss out,” Bartels said.

“The style of racing from Opperman’s period to now is so different and there was far less opportunity for many of our pioneers.

“It’s so hard to measure the quality of a rider like Russell Mockridge, who was arguably the best of his generation, but we sadly didn’t get to see his best.”

Riders such as Phil Anderson, the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey, Robbie McEwen, who won three green jerseys at the race and Cadel Evans, the only Australian to win the Tour de France, have been tipped as certainties to be in the team.

Cycling Australia have said any riders who have served a doping suspension or made a doping confession will not be eligible under their anti-doping stance.

Orica-GreenEDGE team manager Shayne Bannan and two-time UCI Road World Cup winner Anna Wilson have been included in the six-person selection committee that will make the decision.

Cadel Evans reveals the race where he'll end his career in 2015

Chris Froome says he might not ride Tour de France 2015

Team Sky rider suggests he may prioritise the Giro and Vuelta in 2015

Riders react to 2015 Tour de France route presentation

What the best cyclists in the world have to say about the route of the 2015 Tour de France

Cadel Evans (BMC) has revealed he will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career at the Great Ocean Road Race in February next year.

The inaugural 174km race takes place in Geelong, south east Australia on a similar parcours to the course of the 2010 World Championships road race.

The route is predominantly flat though, and Evans has ruled out winning his final race - which he also puts his name to. While the 2011 Tour winner said he could have made the course longer and harder, he was more interest in ensuring the event would have long-term success.

“It isn’t a race for me - I count myself out,” the 37-year-old told the press in Melbourne on Wednesday, "but I want to finish well.”

But perhaps the final big races for Evans will come in January 2015, as he takes on his last WorldTour event at the Tour Down Under, as well as riding in the Australian National Championship road race.

The former world champion remained realistic though about his chances at one more win, particularly in the national championships, before he calls it a day.

"There's one little hurdle at the national championships" he said, "there's 13-15 Orica-GreenEDGE riders."

"They race that race to make me lose, I'm sure."

"But this time, it's going to be the last month racing in my career, so of course I'm going to be more meticulous and work harder than I ever did to be as good as I can."

Evans has never taken the overall win in the Tour Down Under, finishing second to Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) in last year's race, but says that it will be his main focus going into his last month as a professional.

"It's only five days and I want to go for everything possible at the Tour Down Under."

Cadel Evans: Highs and lows of a 20-year career

We take a look back at the events that have shaped Cadel Evans' career, as the Australian announces his retirement

Cadel Evans announces retirement

Australian 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans confirms he will leave the sport in February

Cadel Evans to retire after 2015 Tour Down Under

Australian Cadel Evans will call time on his illustrious cycling career after his 'home' tour in February 2015

Australian Cadel Evans has announced his retirement from professional cycling, stating that his last race will be the Great Ocean Race in Melbourne Australia on February 1 2015.

The 37-year-old will close a career that has seen him become the only cyclist to ever win the mountain bike World Cup, Tour de France and road race world title. With increasing specialisation in the sport, perhaps he will remain the only person to ever achieve this feat.

Here we take a look back at Evans's long and varied career...

Mountain bike

Evans began his cycling career as a mountain biker. He earned a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport and underwent its MTB programme winning medals as a junior and under-23 competitor in the early 1990s. The multiple XC national champion finished first overall at the 1998 and the 1999 World Cup prior to turning his full attention to road racing and joining Saeco in 2001.

Pulling on the coveted maglia rosa at the Giro d'Italia

Pink stints

Evans likes the Giro d’Italia and its comparatively relaxed atmosphere. He wore the famed maglia rosa for the first time as a 25-year-old at the 2002 edition in what was his Grand Tour debut.

He did not return until 2010 where he again celebrated a time in pink, won a stage, finished fifth overall and claimed the points classification. His gutsy stage seven victory over a hilly finale in Montalcino was particularly memorable with spring rain having turned stretches of strade bianche to mud.

The Giro has appeared on Evans’s programme more towards the senior end of his career. He competed in 2013 as the warhorse, who finished third overall and in the points classification. He started this year at the request of BMC team management that confirmed a changing of the guard sending Tejay van Garderen as a protected rider to the Tour de France. Evans adjusted to the change and spent four days in the pink jersey prior to finishing eighth overall.

World Champion

‘First Australian to’ precedes a lot of Evans’s highest achievements and the 2009 UCI Road World Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland was no exception. He won gold in the elite men’s road race with a stunning solo attack and the help of a dedicated national team in what preceded the beginning of a new chapter with BMC. His victory in Switzerland came off the back of a third place at the Vuelta a Espana in which he celebrated a stint in the leader’s jersey and in doing so joined an elite group to have worn all three Grand Tour leaders jerseys.

The Ardennes

Evans mocked the supposed curse of the rainbow jersey when he became the first Australian to win Fleche Wallonne in 2010. He credited inspiration drawn from the rainbow bands plus extensive course recon with BMC sports director John Lelangue for his aptly-timed victory over Joaquim Rodriguez and Alberto Contador. Evans darted ahead of Contador within the final 100m of the Mur de Huy to claim victory. He became the fifth rider to win Fleche Wallonne in the rainbow jersey joining Ferdi Kubler (1952), Rik Van Steenbergen (1958), Eddy Merckx (1972) and Claude Criquielion (1985).

The big, bad Tour de France

To simply say Evans won the Tour de France in 2011 is to undermine the years of trials and tribulations behind that one rich career-defining success. His performance throughout the 2011 Tour, in which he won a stage and claimed the maillot jaune on the penultimate day, put to rest contentious issues over race leadership and support, especially in the mountains, that had punctuated prior attempts.

Evans was BMC's undisputed Tour leader and could rely on an experienced squad that included the likes of super domestique George Hincapie and the support of Lelangue amongst others. Some 25,000 people packed Melbourne’s Federation Square to welcome the decorated athlete back to his homeland after the historic victory.

The win was a vindication for Evans, whose decision to join a then Pro Continental team BMC at the end of 2009 raised eyebrows. More than that, it demonstrated persistence pays. Within Evans’s nine career appearances at the race he finished in the top 10 seven times and was consecutive runner-up in 2007 and 2008. He placed seventh overall in his last Tour participation in 2013, which was hampered by illness.

Cadel Evans: Major victories

2014

Tour Down Under; stage three

Giro del Trentino; stage three

Giro del Trentino; overall

Tour of Utah; stage six

Tour of Utah; stage seven

2013

Tour of Alberta; stage four

2012

Criterium International; stage two ITT

Criterium International; overall

Criterium International; points classification

Criterium du Dauphine; stage one

Criterium du Dauphine; points classification

2011

Tirreno-Adriatico; stage six

Tirreno-Adriatico; overall classification

Tour de Romandie; overall classification

Tour de France; stage four

Tour de France; overall

2010

La Fleche Wallonne

Giro d’Italia; stage seven

2009

Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré; prologue

Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré; points classification

Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali; stage five

World road race Championships

2008

Paris-Nice; stage four

Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali; stage three

Vuelta a Andalucia; stage two

2007

UCI ProTour; overall winner

TT test event, Beijing

2006

Tour de Romandie; overall

Tour de Romandie; stage five

2004

Tour of Austria; overall

Tour of Austria; stage two

2002

Settimana Ciclista Internazionale; stage one

Tour Down Under; stage five

International UNIQA Classic

Commonwealth champion, TT

2001

Tour of Austria; overall

1999

Mountain bike World Cup; overall

1998

Mountain bike World Cup; overall

More articles on Cadel Evans

Cadel Evans announces retirement

Australian 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans confirms he will leave the sport in February

Cadel Evans: Rider Profile

Cadel Evans - rider profile, biog, cycling results, photos

Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) will retire in 2015, on February 1, after racing in the Great Ocean Race in Melbourne Australia.

The 37-year-old Australian who won the 2011 Tour de France announced his decision at a press conference in Ponferrada, Spain, where the 2014 World Championship road race will run on Sunday.

"People asked me often what I would do after I stop, but I always put it aside to concentrate on being an athlete at a high level," said Evans.

"I knew I'd not be racing at 40, I had it in my mind that I'd never want to race at the high level at 40, I knew that I'd be before 40 years old that I'd stop, and now I'm at that period."

Evans, whose greatest wins include the 2011 Tour and 2009 Worlds in Mendrisio, explained that the next period will see him working as an ambassador in the BMC Racing team. He will mentor young riders in BMC's black and red colours and help with equipment development.

"As I said in 2009, part of the reason I joined BMC Racing was to have a future in the sport after racing," Evans added.

"I have experience as a rider, but not as retiring and going on. I went to [team owner] Andy Rihs for advice and he gave me the idea. It's not a normal job I'd say, but another professional life that I have knowledge in. I've gained a lot in 20 years of racing, but I don't have a university degree to take other work."

Evans’ 20 years include two mountain bike World Cup overall titles and over 10 years racing as a professional road cyclist. With team Mapei in 2002, he took the Giro's leader's pink jersey and finished 14th overall. He continued consistently from there with teams T-Mobile/Telecom (2003 to 2004) and Davitamon-Lotto (2005 to 2009).

He raced in 17 Grand Tours, which along with his 2011 Tour win include two second places in the Tour de France – behind Alberto Contador in 2007 and Carlos Sastre in 2008 – third in the Giro d'Italia and third in the Vuelta a España.

"Certainly the 2009 World Championship and 2011 Tour de France wins were what really lifted my name and my recognition in the sport. They are highlights and what I'm known for in cycling," Evans said.

"I was consistent from the start. I am the oldest post-war Tour de France winner, I'm proud of that, my longevity. I wanted to leave the sport without any regrets. I had a lot of second and fourth places over the years, I made some small training or tactical mistakes, but on the overall, I can go away on February satisfied and know I gave my sport everything."

Evans will race the World Championship road race on Sunday with team Australia and perhaps the Giro di Lombardia. In 2015, he will only compete in the Tour Down Under from January 17 to 25 and the Great Ocean Road Race on February 1.

"I was second by one second this year, narrow than that I don't remember," Evans said of the Tour Down Under. "I am going to race those races with all I have and prepare the best I have to be as best as possible."

Cadel Evans to retire after 2015 Tour Down Under

Australian Cadel Evans will call time on his illustrious cycling career after his 'home' tour in February 2015

Tejay van Garderen and Cadel Evans at crossroads with BMC

Australian Cadel Evans, winner of the 2011 Tour de France, will retire on February 1. According to Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 37-year-old will ride the Tour Down Under from January 17 to 25 and the Great Ocean Road Race that carries his name on February 1, and then quit cycling.

The Italian newspaper reported today that Evans will officially end his 14-year professional cycling career with the Tour Down Under and then continue to the 1.1-ranked Great Ocean Road Race near his home in Melbourne, Victoria. Afterwards, he will take on an ambassador role with his team BMC Racing.

Evans joined BMC Racing after winning the 2009 World Championship road title near his European home in Mendrisio, Switzerland. He helped the team jump from the second to the first division ranks and led it to the 2011 Tour de France title ahead of Andy Schleck. He continued in the grand tours, this year wearing the pink jersey in the Giro d'Italia and on Sunday, finishing 52nd in the Vuelta a España.

He next races in the 2014 World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain, on September 28. Even if he were to win a second world title, his career would come to an end according to today's article.

Evans, or 'Cuddles' as he is sometimes referred to, last won the Giro del Trentino in Italy on April 25 and two stages of the Tour of Utah in the USA this August. According to Pro Cycling Stats, he counts 29 road wins.

He began his road career after cycling to two mountain bike World Cup overall titles. With Mapei in 2002, he took the Giro's leader's pink jersey and finished 14th overall.

The Vuelta a España this month marked his 17th Grand Tour, which also included two second places in the Tour de France – behind Alberto Contador in 2007 and Carlos Sastre in 2008 – third in the Giro d'Italia and third in the Vuelta a España.

Evans raced for T-Mobile/Telekom from 2003 to 2004, Davitamon-Lotto from 2005 to 2009 and BMC from 2010. After several near misses in the Grand Tours, it clicked with him in BMC's red and black colours.

"There's a couple of blots – in 2004, 2012 and 2013 – but over 18 years, it's not too bad of a career," Evans said at the Giro d'Italia this May.

"In 2012, a virus really knocked me out. I had to take such a break to recover from that. I was more than two months off the bike, and that ruined my 2013 season.

In addition to the Tour, Evans won the 2014 Giro del Trentino, the 2012 Critérium International, the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico, the 2006 and 2011 Tour de Romandie, and the Tour of Austria twice.

"At the age of 34, I became the oldest post-war Tour de France winner in history!" Evans told Cycling Weekly in 2011. "I am kind of proud of that."

American Tejay van Garderen is gaining valuable experience at the Tour de France as BMC leader whilst former race winner and team-mate Cadel Evans considers his future with the lucrative WorldTour outfit.

Evans realised a long-standing goal with the team winning the maillot jaune at the 2011 edition just a year after signing with what was then a Pro Continental squad.

However, the 37-year-old Australian was not selected for the Tour this season with BMC opting for van Garderen. Van Garderen extended his contract with the team in 2012 with this year’s opportunity serving as incentive.

“October we decided the programme that Cadel was going to be riding the Giro and I was going to be leading the Tour,” he said. “I pretty much had the whole year from then on knowing that this my focus.”

Off-contract Evans raced the Giro d’Italia in May, in which he finished eighth and had a stint in the maglia rosa, at the team’s request and is due to compete at the Vuelta a Espana in support of Samuel Sanchez. He has been in Australia this month promoting a new one-day race named in his honour.

“Cadel is evaluating his season next year at the moment,” BMC manager Jim Ochowicz told Cycling Weekly. “Whether he is going to continue or not continue that’s Cadel’s decision to make in the coming months. We know he is doing the Tour of Utah and the Vuelta and the World Championships so I’m going to see him in Utah and at the Vuelta. We’ve already started some dialogue about next year and what that might be or not. No decisions have been made.

“We’ve talked about some possibilities, some scenarios, that might work for everybody,” he continued.

Van Garderen cracked under the pressure of a relentless Movistar offence in the first day of competition in the Pyrenees yesterday and currently sits in sixth place – nine minutes and 25 seconds adrift of race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana). Whether the 25-year-old holds post as Tour leader beyond this season remains to be seen.

“He’s the leader right now,” Ochowicz said. “We can’t evaluate his overall performance until the race is over. It’s a learning curve he’s going through right now. He’s done Grand Tours before but never as a leader so he’s managing the expectations of his riders in the team plus his reactions. The way he manages his time and efforts, not just on the bike but off the bike, affect the 25 staff members, so indirectly he’s managing the whole group. We’re assisting in the places where we have to help to facilitate what he has to get done.”

Ochowicz said team goals had not shifted despite the loss of riders and van Garderen’s current position, which he may be able to improve with two more days in the Pyrenees and a long time trial to come before the peloton reaches Paris.

“We came in thinking we’d like to get a stage and we’ve come close a few times,” Ochowicz said.

“We’re not putting a number on Tejay’s finishing position. There’s no real definitive number on how to finish this race but everyday doing a good job.”

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

Tejay van Garderen confident he can be a Tour de France contender

Tejay van Garderen downplays Tour de France stage seven crash

The BMC rider lost over a minute and the services of team-mate Darwin Atapuma in the fall approaching Nancy.

Cadel Evans once sat on top of the Giro d'Italia in the leader's pink jersey. After being knocked out of the third overall yesterday, he fights to maintain a top ten.

"The next two days are still going to change things around," Evans said, "so I'm not so deluded by the whole thing."

Evans stepped out of the anti-doping truck at the top of the Panarotta climb yesterday afternoon. He dressed in several layers of red and black BMC kit to keep his body warm.

Further away, the announcer called race leader Nairo Quintana (Movistar) on the podium. Quintana defended his pink jersey under multiple attacks from Pierre Rolland (Europcar) and Fabio Aru (Astana).

Rolland won the Alpe d'Huez stage and the young rider's white jersey at the 2011 Tour de France. His attacks lifted the pace of the front group and forced Evans out. When reaching the Panarotta Refuge, 1760 metres above sea level in the Dolomites, Evans trailed his rivals by 1-41 minutes. The former Aussie Tour winner slipped from third overall to ninth, 4-59 minutes behind Quintana and 1-30 behind Rolland in third place.

"In one way the day could be worse but it certainly could've been a lot better," said Evans. "The day didn't go in my favour again today. I wasn't at the level of the others. It was a big time loss and going from a podium place to just inside the top ten isn't the direction I wanted to take and is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

The 37-year-old has two chances to change the direction of his Giro d'Italia, where last year he placed third overall. Today, the Giro d'Italia's 157 remaining cyclists time trial 26.85 kilometres up Monte Grappa. Tomorrow, it races though the Dolomites and up the 22% gradients to finish on Monte Zoncolan.

"This is only the beginning of the end of the Giro," Evans continued. "We'll get a better idea of who is the best in the time trial and then there's still one more day where things can turn around."

For comparison, this year's mountain time trial features steeper pitches and runs longer than the one to Polsa last year. Evans had a bad day in the stage and lost 2-36 minutes to leader Vincenzo Nibali. The last time he raced Zoncolan, in 2010, he battled eventual race winner Ivan Basso to the top and placed second at 1-19. In that Giro, he placed fifth overall.

The wars haven't been kind to Bassano del Grappa. Its famous Ponte Vecchio bridge has been built and destroyed several times. Locals built the current wooden one, just 300 metres from today's start ramp, in 1947 after World War 2.

Evans begins his battle today at 15:47 local time. The others follow at three minute intervals. He added, "It's not over until it's over."

Cadel Evans reflects on time lost to Giro d'Italia rival Rigoberto Uran

Cadel Evans loses 31 seconds to Giro d'Italia leader Rigoberto Uran on a tough day to Plan di Montecampione

Philip Deignan impressive in Giro stage Colombians dominate

26-year-old Julian Arredondo wins stage 18 of 2014 Giro d'Italia ahead of compatriot Fabio Duarte

Cadel Evans's Giro d'Italia bid took another blow today on the slopes leading to the Plan di Montecampione. The Aussie Tour de France champion maintained second overall behind Rigoberto Urán, but slid back by 31 seconds.

"It wasn't my best day," Evans said. "I wanted to be better, but there's not much I could do about it."

Urán (Omega Pharma) leads by 1-03 minutes on Evans, 1-50 on Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) and 2-24 on Fabio Aru (Astana). Evans began the 225-kilometres stage through Lombardia, which included a 19.35-kilometre climb to Montecampione, only 32 seconds behind Urán. Part of that deficit came from his time loss in the time trial to Barolo on Thursday.

Evans faded again when the attacks came today. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) and Urán tried, but Aru dealt the blow. Under the three-kilometre banner, Evans drifted behind.

Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Rolland and Urán could not follow, either, but maintained their places ahead. Evans, instead, regrouped, with riders behind including Wilco Kelderman (Belkin) and Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r La Mondiale).

"My rivals raced well today," added Evans. "I had a bad moment, they did well in the right moment. We are all tightly packed now in the GC. The top 10 is only split by around four minutes. I think we'll have a great Giro d'Italia because we still have some big stages, tappone, ahead and they are going to make a big difference."

Evans will be able to analyse the time gaps further tomorrow, when the Giro d'Italia enjoys its third of three rest days. Afterwards, the race restarts with several stages in the Alpine mountains: Val Martello, Panarotta, Monte Grappa and Monte Zoncolan.

"I hope the bad days end here," Evans said. "It's not that bad now, but for sure, I can't keep losing more time."

Fabio Aru surprises overall rivals with Giro d'Italia stage 15 win

Overall leader Rigoberto Uran loses time to Fabio Aru, but gains time on Cadel Evans and Rafal Majka

Cadel Evans stands to add time to his overall lead in the Giro d'Italia's time trial tomorrow. The 41.9-kilometre stage in Piedmont's wine producing hills should suit the Aussie - but the mountains may count more.

"Cadel's the best on paper out of the GC riders. He's a specialist," Evans' sports director at BMC, Valerio Piva said. "But rivals like Nairo Quintana should be able to defend themselves well given the climbs."

The stage passes through the Langhe and Roero hills that produce Nebbiolo grapes. From the start, the road climbs 12 kilometres straight into the hills southeast of Alba instead of taking the valley road to the north. It twists left and right, passes the Manera vineyards, travels down in the valley.

The road runs straight for 11 kilometres through the time check in Alba and allows power riders like Evans to build an advantage. It kicks up for four kilometres, runs through the Bussia vineyards and drops back down three kilometres. The final 1.7 kilometres kicks up at 4.2% to the line in the shadow of Barolo's Marchesi Falletto castle.

Italy's top time triallist, Adriano Malori of team Movistar won the Tirreno-Adriatico time trial head of Bradley Wiggins and placed eighth at the Worlds last year. He ruled himself out of the 12th stage, however. He said the day suits Evans and Rigoberto Urán (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), who sits second overall at 57 seconds.

"The course is very hard and not too much for me," Malori said. "I can ride a good time trial, but the 20 kilometres of climbing is too much and I can lose a lot." Also not in his favour, Malori crashed heavily during stage 10, extensively grazing his right side.

Evans previewed the time trial prior to racing, and winning, the Giro del Trentino last month. Urán saw it before the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in March. Colombian Nairo Quintana, Malori's team-mate, has not been to see the course.

"It's long, it's not easy. We'll see big differences," Piva said. "The time trial suits powerful guys, the first climb is steady with good roads. It's not a steep, steep climb. It's a good time trial for Evans."

Evans sits on top of the classification with 57 seconds on Urán, 1-10 on Rafal Majka, 1-20 on Domenico Pozzovivo and 1-45 on Quintana, who is further back in eighth.

Even though he is a lightweight Colombian climber, Quintana defends himself well in a time trial. He placed second to Tony Martin in the Tour of the Basque Country last year and used the result to secure his overall win. At the Tour’s time trial, which featured two big climbs, he held Chris Froome at 1-11 minutes.

Urán has placed in the top 10 a few times in time trials. At the hilly, 18.5-kilometre time trial at the Tour of Romandy in April, he placed fourth behind Froome.

"Rigoberto just has to win or finish on the same time to the others. If he doesn't, to lose time to Evans, then it's OK. The third week of the Giro will be the week of truth," team Omega Pharma general manager, Patrick Lefèvere said.

"It's a mental game. Either you hit your rivals on the head with a hammer or you hit yourself because you lost time. However, you're not going to win the Giro in the time trial."

Urán nodded towards Evans. He said that the Aussie could gain more time tomorrow, but not much.

"He's the favourite, but if I stay close then we can continue to battle for the overall in the mountain days that follow," Urán said. "Those are going to be more important."

Cadel Evans reflects on Giro d'Italia lead during rest day

"Every day, every training ride, I've gone out with an objective," says Giro leader Cadel Evans

Giro d'Italia race leader, Cadel Evans is resting today ahead of an important two weeks in his pink jersey defence. He will join Steve Morabito and his other BMC team-mates for a training ride near Modena. Their thoughts will mostly like be on Barolo time trial and Alpine mountain stages.

"I've been working towards this Giro d'Italia calmly, not obsessing over it," Evans said. "Every day, every training ride, I've gone out with an objective."

If he succeeds with his Giro objective in two weeks' time in Trieste, he would be come the first Australian to do so. At 38, he would also become the oldest in Giro history.

Evans placed second in the Tour de France twice and in 2011, became the first Aussie to win it. This year, instead, team BMC Racing gave team-mate Tejay van Garderen the green light to race in France.

"I'm not upset to miss the Tour de France. At this moment, I'm quite enjoying this Giro d'Italia," Evans said.

"Thankfully, with the Giro goal, everyday when you go out of your house, people aren't asking you if you are going to win it. When they do that while you are aiming for the Tour de France, it becomes frustrating."

Evans leads the race by 57 seconds over Rigoberto Urán (Omega Pharma-Quick Step). Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) trails by 1-10 minutes and Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r La Mondiale) by 1-20. Nairo Quintana (Movistar), second in the Tour de France last year behind Chris Froome, sits at 1-45.

Pozzovivo gained 26 seconds with a late attack on the climb to Passo del Lupo above Sestola yesterday. Evans said that he calculated his effort with the high mountain passes still to come and let the small Italian off the leash.

"Those attacks that are important, and I'll have to respond to him in the future, for sure, but I try not to take risks," Evans said. "I can't watch all the attacks."

Evans ought to be able to gain more of a cushion on his rivals in the time trial to Barolo on Thursday. The 41.9-kilometre stage cuts through the wine-producing hills in Piedmont.

“Every second that I have over Quintana is an extra advantage,” Evans said. “The time trial in Barolo is a place where I'd like to gain time. It'd be better to have the advantage in the mountains so I can keep clam for the trip to Trieste.”

The Giro travels east through the Alps with stages over the Stelvio and Gavia, and finishes on Monte Zoncolan. It also stops in Bassano di Grappa for a mountain time trial to Monte Grappa, which Evans said would have more of an impact than Barolo's stage.

Today in Modena, land of balsamic vinegar and Ferrari, the temperature should reach 24°C – perfect for a bike ride. Besides taking in the countryside, Evans must consider how to defend his pink jersey in the final phase of the Giro d'Italia.

Cadel Evans not taking lead in Giro d'Italia for granted

Giro d'Italia leader Cadel Evans mindful of tough final week

Cadel Evans took over leader's pink jersey at the Giro d'Italia today. He placed fifth on the mountain stage to Montecopiolo and leads with 57 seconds with over half the race to come.

"The one that goes down in history,” said the Australian, “is the one that has it on the last day!"

Evans took the Tour de France race leader's yellow jersey on the penultimate day in 2011 and won. At the Giro, he already wore the pink jersey twice before – in his debut year in 2002 and in 2010. This year, he took the lead on stage eight, with 13 more stages to race until the Giro concludes in Trieste on June 1.

Today's stage in Le Marche finished with an 18.8-kilometre climb to Montecopiolo at 1235 metres. As race leader tomorrow, Evans faces an even harder stage to Sestola at 1538 metres.

The Giro's signature mountains, like the Zoncolan, come in the third week. Those who want to win the overall will have to conquer Oropa, Montecampione, Val Martello, Panarotta, Cima Grappa and Zoncolan – climbs from 1500 to 2700 metres.

"For the overall win, it's early to say who's in with a chance or who's going to be out," Evans added. "To be ahead now, is a good advantage, but two minutes in the last week may not be a lot.

“The mountain time trial to Cima Grappa and the Zoncolan stage will be very particular and important, they will be hard. The Val Martello stage – with Gavia and Stelvio – is short, but very hard."

The 37-year-old leads by 57 seconds over Rigoberto Urán. Rafal Majka sits at 1-10, team-mate Steve Morabito at 1-31, Fabio Aru at 1-39 and today's stage winner, Diego Ulissi at 1-43.

Nairo Quintana, who placed second to Chris Froome at the Tour, sits eighth at 1-45. Overall favourite, Michele Scarponi perhaps paid from his crash two days ago on the Montecassino stage and lost 9-39 today.

Evans gained 49 seconds on the stage to Montecassino ahead of a crash that involved 60 riders. Nicolas Roche lost 15 minutes and Joaquím Rodríguez abandoned that night.

"I don't have anyone upset with me over the crash," Evans said. "I heard some words spoken against me, yes, but the day after, those riders asked to be forgiven. That crash was out of our control. To give the blame to one person is not right."

Credit: Luca Bettini

Cadel Evans back to his best

Cadel Evans says that his Giro d'Italia has started well, and looks to have put the past two bad seasons

Diego Ulissi strikes again on Giro d'Italia stage eight

Cadel Evans takes overall race lead from Michael Matthews after action-packed stage

Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) won his second stage in four days, in what was a spectacular day’s racing at the Giro d'Italia.

Ulissi outsprinted Croatian national champion Robert Kiserlovski (Trek) in the final uphill sprint, having caught early escapee Pierre Rolland (Europcar) in the final kilometre.

Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) was dropped on the first of three climbs, meaning the pink jersey passes to Cadel Evans (BMC).

The real drama of the stage lay in whether escapees Julian Arredondo (Trek) or Pierre Rolland (Europcar) would make it to the finish. Arredondo was one of ten riders in the break of the day, and attacked alone on the Cippo di Carpegna some 40kms from the finish.

Rolland set off in pursuit on the descent of the Carpegna, one by one catching the remnants of the initial break (including Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen), and utilising the support of his teammate Perrig Quemeneur on the way.

After a particularly long chase, Rolland eventually caught a tiring Arredondo on the final climb to the finish in Montecopiolo. The pair were clearly exhausted by this point, but Rolland still managed to break clear.

The gap to the peloton began to tumble as BMC’s Steve Morabito took over from Ag2r - who had led for most of the day’s uphill kilometres – and soon Arredondo was caught.

Danni Moreno (Katusha) then attacked in the final kilometre, catching Rolland and agonisingly ending the Frenchman’s hopes of victory.

There was another twist, however, as Moreno’s legs failed him, leaving Kiserlovski and Ulissi to pass him. The Italian timed his sprint to perfection, coming round the Croatian in the final metres and winning comfortably.

There wasn’t much action between the GC riders, and only seconds separated the favourites at the end. There was one major loser, however, in the form of Michele Scarponi (Astana). The 34-year-old was dropped on the Carpegna and ended up losing several minutes, ruling him out of the running for the pink jersey.

Full preview for Sunday's stage nine >>

Results
Giro d’Italia 204, stage 8: Foligno – Montecopiolo 174km
1. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida in 4-47-47

2. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Trek at st

3. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin at 0-06

4. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar at st

5. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC at 0-08

6. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

7. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r all st

8. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 0-14

9. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana at 0-17

10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin Sharp at st

Overall classification after stage eight
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC in 34-22-35

2. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 0-57

3. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 1-10

4. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC at 1-31

5. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana at 1-39

6. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida at 1-43

7. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin at 1-44

8. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar at 1-45

9. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Trek at 1-49

10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r at st

Other

168. Ben Swift (GBr) Sky at  1-07-33

Credit: Luca Bettini

Cadel Evans back to his best

Cadel Evans says that his Giro d'Italia has started well, and looks to have put the past two bad seasons

Cadel Evans appears near his Grand Tour best again after dealing with two tough years. The 2011 Tour de France winner sits second overall, best of the favourites, in the Giro d'Italia ahead of this weekend's mountain stages.

"It's a good start for me," team BMC's Aussie said, "but it's early days."

Evans sits 21 seconds behind leader Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge), who should lose the pink jersey tomorrow when the race finishes at 1,235 metres. Behind Evans, the closest overall contender is Rigoberto Urán (Omega Pharma) at 57 seconds.

"Even if we were on equal times, it'd be hard to beat Evans," Michele Scarponi said. "Now, it's going to be hard to even claw back part of that advantage."

The advantage came thanks to the team time trial in Belfast and two tricky days in Italy. In Viggiano on Thursday, Evans fought back, overtook Joaquím Rodríguez's red Katusha train and placed second. With it, he took six bonus seconds.

Yesterday, his team rode at the front and continued to do so when a crash occurred at the base of the finishing climb to Montecassino. Evans gained 49 seconds, plus four in bonus by placing third, on his nearest rivals.

Others like Scarponi, lost much more time due to the crash. Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo) finished 15 minutes back.

With his ride in this Giro d'Italia and his win in the Giro del Trentino, he appears to be returning to his 2011 level. That year, he became the first Aussie to win the Tour de France.

"There's a couple of blots – in 2004, 2012 and 2013 – but over 18 years, it's not too bad of a career," Evans said.

"In 2012, a virus really knocked me out. I had to take such a break to recover from that. I was more than two months off the bike, and that ruined my 2013 season. That's why I had an extra Grand Tour last year to rebuild my base again, and now it's starting to come together finally."

Evans won two stages en route to the Tour overall. He also won the Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour of Romandy stage races in 2011. In 2012, he won the Critérium International stage race. At the Tour, however, he began to suffer.

"I was really going in 2011. I was trying to maintain that level or lift it, but that virus knocked me right back," Evans added.

"I didn't know why I was performing so badly, that was the frustrating thing. I was more than worried. There were a couple of times there I didn't know what was going on. There's always a reason, but when you don't know that reason, it's difficult to work things out. Now it seems to be coming together again."

The 37-year-old decided with BMC this winter that he would race the Giro d'Italia and leave Tejay van Garderen to the Tour de France. The early decision appears to have helped him in 2014.

He won a stage and placed second to Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) at the Tour Down Under, he placed seventh in the Tour of the Basque Country and ahead of the Giro, he won the Giro del Trentino.

"It's a good start, but we have three weeks to face in the Giro with top riders who built their season around this race," Evans said.

"It's important for me to grab seconds when I can, especially with the third week and the uphill time trial. It's the only stage race where it's better get the lead beforehand."

Cadel Evans lands blow to rivals in Giro d'Italia

Aggressive performance on final climb during Wednesday's stage sees Cadel Evans rise to third overall

Cadel Evans fought rain, winds and 10°C temperatures and nearly won a stage early into the three-week Giro d'Italia. The 2011 Tour de France champion saw only Diego Ulissi pass him in stage five to Viggiano but took six bonus seconds and showed he is ready to win the race overall.

"I'm certainly prepared for this Giro," Evans said. "Whether that will be good enough, we'll see in this week's racing."

The Australian dressed in more red and black BMC jackets to keep warm metres after the finish line. He placed second at one second behind Ulissi, but delivered an early blow to his potential overall rivals Nairo Quintana and Joaquím Rodríguez.

Rodríguez's Katusha team powered to the hillside town, but 37-year-old Evans benefited. Spain's Rodriguez finished seventh and Colombian Quintana place 10th, both at one second back. With his move, however, the 'never-say-die' Evans took an important time bonus.

"We had everything today: rain and water, cold, low visibility, it was slippery... It was a finish where few riders were going to arrive at the front even without the teams trying to make the difference," Evans said.

"Katusha tried with a good lead-out, but I was able to recover, even if it wasn't enough to win."

Evans, after finishing second twice, won the 2011 Tour de France. The last couple of years, he dealt with a virus and suffered to return to the top.

Last year, he decided to race the Giro d'Italia at the last minute, held on to second place but slipped to third on the penultimate day to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. This year, he aimed specifically at the Giro with team-mate Tejay van Garderen going to the Tour de France. Showing he's ready, he won the Giro del Trentino overall beforehand.

"He aimed for the Giro this time around," sports director, Valerio Piva told Cycling Weekly. "Last year, he started without preparation and a team. This year, he has a good strong team. He's focused and he arrived in shape. That was important."

Piva said that Evans hopes to take as much time as possible before the high-mountain stages in the last week. In particular, Quintana, who placed second behind Chris Froome at the Tour last year, worries BMC.

"It's clear that Cadel is going to take an advantage if a chance arises because the climbers are favoured in the last week. He can also try in the first time trial to Barolo," said Piva.

"He needs more time on his rivals. Yes, he has a good advantage on Rodríguez, but even if he has one or two minutes on Quintana, that isn't that much."

The rain passed and the sun poked through the clouds. Another Australian, Mike Matthews continues to wear the pink overall race leader's jersey. Evans sits third at 15 seconds. Rigoberto Urán, second overall last year, sits fourth at 19 seconds, Quintana at 1-09 minutes and Rodríguez 1-47.

Tomorrow's stage to Montecassino ends with a 8.65-kilometre climb to 484 metres. "It's going to be a little more of a repeat of today." And Evans added, "I like the position I'm in."

Diego Ulissi wins Giro stage five in Viggiano

Ulissi gets the better of Rodriguez, Evans and Boasson Hagen in an uphill sprint in Viggiano

Diego Ulissi put in an impressive turn of speed to win stage five of the Giro d'Italia at the top of a 7.5km climb to Viggiano today. The Lampre-Merida rider rode several bike lengths clear as the likes of Cadel Evans and Joaquim Rodriguez faded at the end of the five hour stage.

Despite the stretched out nature of the field as they crossed the line everyone in the group was given the same time, just one second behind Ulissi, as Australian Michael Matthews put in a great ride to defend his pink jersey.

It had looked like Katusha were set to sew up the stage as the Russian rockets hit the front on mass the second and final time up the four per cent climb. Daniel Moreno then put in a huge turn within the final kilometre that pulled him clear along wih his leader Rodriguez, Julien Arredondo (Trek Factory Racing) and Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen.

The quartet quickly had a ten bike length advantage, but as soon as Moreno pulled off the others faded badly and the group behind, lead by Matthews, were soon back on their wheels. Rodriguez was then stuck on the front, already fully committed, when Ulissi started his sprint.

The Spaniard had nothing left when he needed to respond, and even Evans, who made his move at the same time, couldn't match the speed of Ulissi who pulled clear all the way to the finish line.  A win visually more impressive than the final time gaps suggest.

"It was an important win," said Ulissi after the finish. "To win a Giro d'Italia stage for an Italian is important, I took on champions. It was a hard finish, a nervous stage, with strong wind and rain in the final.

"I was behind at 20km and I had to put my feet on the ground [with 17km to go]," Ulissi said of the difficult final section of the stage. "My team-mates did well and took me to the front. I was on the fifth wheel, and I waited due to the head wind. Quintana could not maintain the wheel, left a gap, and I followed Matthews who closed it and sprinted."

Matthews has reached his target of being in the race lead until stage six. "My goal was up until tomorrow," he said. "We will see. My form seems to be good, I'll have to assess it tomorrow. The next few stages will be key for the team to keep the pink jersey. We've had a good run so far, we'll try to keep the ball rolling."

Better day for Swift

Sky's Ben Swift kept himself in contention in the points classification after taking today's intermediate sprint and the 10 points that go with it. Having crashed in the rain yesterday and therefore denied the opportunity of challenging for the sprint, Swift made the break today along with Elia Viviani and Tyler Farrar.

All three knew the finish, and therefore the points, would be out of their reach being at the top of a 7.5km drag, and so targeted the intermediate points. Swift won the sprint ahead of Viviani and Farrar to keep himself within reach of the lead. Viviani (Cannondale) leads the red jersey competition from Nacer Bouhanni (Fdj.com) by four points.

Results
Giro d'Italia 2014, stage 5: Tarranto  - Viggiano 203km

1. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 5-12-39hrs

2. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing at 1 sec

3. Julien Arredondo (Col) Trek Factory Racing at 1 sec

4. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 1 sec

5. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 1 sec

6. Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 1 sec

7. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 1 sec

8. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin at 1 sec

9. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r La Mondiale at 1 sec

10. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar at 1 sec

Overall classification after stage five

1. Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

2. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge at 14 secs

3. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing at 15 secs

4. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 19 secs

5. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 26 secs

6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky at 35 secs

7. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Tinkoff-Saxo at 37 secs

8. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana at 41 secs

9. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky at 49 secs

10. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana at 52 secs

Former world champion Cadel Evans is unsure if he will ever compete at the Tour de France again.

The Tour has been a long-standing goal for the 37-year-old who has this year turned his full attention to the Giro d’Italia that begins with a 21.7km team time trial on Friday.

“I’m lucky that things came together in at least one of my Tours. I don’t know if I’ll race the Tour again. Regardless of whether I do it or not I leave it reasonably satisfied and now I’m putting my energy into the Giro,” the BMC leader Evans said at a pre-race press conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland today.

“For me on a personal level the Giro was the first Grand Tour that I did back in 2002. Now on a professional level the team wants me to do the Giro, and not the Tour, so obviously here I am at the Giro! But no, on a personal level that’s fine for me.”

Evans joined the then Pro Continental BMC team in 2010 and with them became the first Australian to win the Tour de France a year later in 2011. He has made nine career appearances at the race between 2005-2013 including six top 10 finishes.

Compatriot and newly appointed BMC technical manager Allan Peiper spearheaded a significant internal team review after the 101st edition last year, part of which saw a reshuffle in Tour leadership with American Tejay van Garderen appointed to the maillot jaune helm.

Evans enjoys the nature of the Giro and has a rich history with the first Grand Tour of the season that will travel through Northern Ireland and Ireland this week before returning to its native Italy.

He won a stage and the points classification in 2010 and fought day-in-and-out to ride to a third place in the overall and points standing at last year’s race, which doubled as his best career showing across three appearances.

Evans is in-form as his victory at April's Giro del Trentino indicates though will have a fight on his hands for the maglia rosa with Colombian favourites Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Rigoberto Uran (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) also set on title victory. Uran finished second overall to Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) last year in what was an excellent recovery for his then team Sky that had entered the race looking to support Bradley Wiggins, who abandoned, to overall triumph.

Uran this time will have full team support from the Grande Partenza where home hero Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Michele Scarponi (Astana), who were also presented to the media today as race contenders, will too launch their respective campaigns.

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

Cadel Evans turns full attention to 2014 Giro d'Italia

Australian Cadel Evans will concentrate on winning the Giro d'Italia in 2014 instead of the Tour de France

'Not impossible' for Cadel Evans to win the Giro d'Italia

Cadel Evans goes into the Giro d'Italia's final week looking to gain time on race leader Vincenzo Nibali wherever he

Giro d'Italia's Irish start is 'hardest in years'

Three stages in Ireland could create significant time gaps, says Giro d'Italia organiser

Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) increased his overall lead in the Giro del Trentino on Thursday, winning the race's second road stage with an impressive display of climbing that dispensed his rivals.

Evans out-paced Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r) to take the win after the pair had distanced a group of contenders on the steep ramps of the final climb.

Evans then edged ahead to take the victory over Pozzovivo, with Mikel Landa (Astana) coming home in third ahead of team-mate Michele Scarponi.

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) was the top-placed British rider on the stage, finishing in 49th place three minutes and 17 seconds behind Evans. He now sits in 42nd place overall.

The 2014 Giro del Trentino concludes on Friday with another mountain-top finish. With a comfortable 45-second buffer over second-placed Pozzovivo, Evans now looks in a very strong position to take the race win.

Results
Giro del Trentino 2014, stage three: Mori to Roncone, 184.4km
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing in 4-43-43

2. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r at 3 secs

3. Mikel Landa (Spa) Astana at 9 secs

4. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana at same time

5. Igor Anton (Spa) Movistar at 20 secs

6. Francesco Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani-CSF at 25 secs

7. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana

8. Tiago Machado (Por) NetApp-Endura

9. Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka at same time

10. Fabio Duarte (Col) Colombia at 28 secs

Overall classification after stage three
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing in 9-23-43

2. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r at 45 secs

3. Tiago Machado (Por) NetApp-Endura at 59 secs

4. Igor Anton (Spa) Movistar at 1-01

5. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana at 1-01

6. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida at 1-01

7. Fabio Duarte (Col) Colombia at 1-01

8. Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani-CSF at 1-04

9. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana at 1-06

10. Francesco Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani-CSF

Other

42. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky at 6-03

80. Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar at 25-35

110. Scott Thwaites (GBr) NetApp-Endura at 35-48

Former world champion and 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans is leading the Tour Down Under after a gutsy solo victory in Campbelltown today.

Sky and Orica-GreenEdge are set to regroup ahead of Saturday's penultimate stage to Willunga Hill after Evans showed superior climbing prowess on the decisive 2.8km Corkscrew climb that animated the third stage.

Team Sky leader Richie Porte followed Evans when he made a move from the main group at the beginning of the climb, but, some 8km from the finish, could not match a second acceleration on the twisting ascent.

Overnight race leader Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) caught Porte and the duo worked together. However, Evans, who was virtual leader when he reached the King of the Mountain check, was flying, and mastered the technical descent that followed.

Porte and Gerrans rejoined the main group within the final 2km and missed out on the podium with Nathan Haas (Garmin-Sharp) finishing second, 14 seconds adrift of the new race leader, and stage two winner Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) third.

Welshman Geraint Thomas is better placed than designated Sky race leader Porte in the overall standings and the team will look out for both in Saturday's queen stage. Thomas sits sixth overall, 29 seconds in arrears of Evans, with three race days remaining. Porte sits just outside the top 10, a further four seconds adrift.

"Like it stands now, we need to play them both," sports director Kurt Asle Arvesen said. "We need two guys up there to try to win.

"The guys did brilliant into the climb today," he continued. "Richie attacked with Cadel but missed a little bit and G, he said the same, he missed a little bit also."

The penultimate stage is now more imperative for the Orica-GreenEdge team that came to its ‘home' race with the aim of supporting Gerrans to stage wins and the overall title. The Australian national road champion slipped to second overall after today's 145km trek in hot conditions and is 12 seconds adrift of Evans.

"We've got work to do but we've got some days to do it in," White said. "Willunga is a totally different climb. It's not as hard as the Corkscrew and it'll be a bigger group that arrives at the top of Willunga.

"If we want to win the tour, we've got to win Willunga."

Popular race veteran Jens Voigt (Trek) as well as Travis Meyer (Drapac), Andriy Grivko (Astana) and Jerome Cousin (Europcar) comprised the main break of the day that escaped early in the piece. It broke up within the final 20km with Voigt and Grivko the last to be reeled in some 15km from the finish.

Sky is set to take it easy in tomorrow's 151.5km stage, from McLaren Vale to Victor Harbor, which suits sprinters.

Tour Down Under 2014, stage three: Norwood to Campbelltown, 145km

1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC 3-34-06

2. Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 14 secs

3. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida

4. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol

5. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

6. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo

7. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC

8. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC

9. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge

10. Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin

Overall classification after stage three

1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC 10-46-39

2. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 12 secs  

3. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida at 15 secs

4. Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 27 secs

5. Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin at 29 secs

6. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky at 29 secs

7. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge at 33 secs

8. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC

9. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo

10. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC

Other

11. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 33 secs

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

Cadel Evans attacks Richie Porte

Cadel Evans takes the solo victory

Evans in the race lead

Related links

Tour Down Under 2014 stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Tour Down Under 2014 preview and coverage

Cadel Evans will compete at the Tour de France for nothing less than the maillot jaune.

The 35-year-old entered the 99th edition of the race as defending champion but yesterday finished seventh overall and more than 15 minutes off the pace of British winner Bradley Wiggins (Sky).

"If I come back it's for the win, yeah," Evans told Cycling Weekly at the start of the final stage to Paris.

"After winning the Tour I don't know if I'd be motivated to come back to go for anything less."

Evans looked slightly off colour at the end of the race struggling with allergies and recovering from intestinal problems that knocked him back after the second rest day. The former world champion is hopeful of making a speedy recovery before Saturday's London 2012 Olympic Games road race where he will represent Australia. Evans has also been selected for the men's time trial on August 1.

"I've got everything going on at the moment," he said. "My main thing was I was running on empty after a stomach problem in the last week.

"I just need a couple of days rest and I think I'll turn around. There's six days rest after three weeks of racing, it's actually quite a big block of rest for us."

Evans gave all in his title defence and praised the support of his  teammates including American Tejay van Garderen, who won the white jersey.

"Yeah, I gave it everything I had but when you're running on empty you can't push very hard unfortunately," Evans said. "I went into the (penultimate) time trial (stage) and just rode within my limit with disregard to the result.

"This year Mickey (Michael Schar), George (Hincapie), Quincy (Manuel Quinziato) they were just incredible. (Marcus) Burghardt he was even better than he was last year. He was in the decisive break three days in a row.

"Tejay was racing for the young rider's jersey. Obviously on Toussuire I would have been minutes without him but otherwise he was pretty focused on his young rider's jersey."

Evans extended his contract with BMC last year, after becoming the first Australian to win the Tour, and it will see him through to 2014.

Twitter: @SophieSmith86 

CADEL EVANS

Date of birth: 14/02/1977

From: Katherine, Australia

Team: BMC Racing Team

Previous teams: Silence-Lotto (2005-2009); Team Telekom (2003-2004); Mapei (2002); Saeco (2001); formerly a professional mountain-biker

Cadel Evans career profile

Cadel Evans began his career in professional cycling as a mountain-biker. Evans took back-to-back mountain biking cross-country World Cups yet decided to switch to the road in 2001, riding for the Italian Saeco squad.

Evans impressed many with several major results, including a spell in the maglia rosa at the Giro d'Italia whilst riding for the all-conquering Mapei team.

A move to Team Telekom followed in 2003, but as with many riders who joined the team during the Godefroot-Ullrich era Evans struggled to win favour with the team's management. Already showing signs of developing into a promising stage racer, Evans was not given the opportunity to ride the Tour de France until joining the Lotto team in 2005.

Evans rode strongly in his debut Tour in 2005, becoming the first Australian to finish in the top ten overall since Phil Anderson in 1981.

The Australian bettered his performance in the same race in 2006, finishing fourth to Oscar Pereiro.

Improving again in 2007, Evans rode strongly throughout the race but failed to overcome Alberto Contador in the final time trial.

Evans entered the 2008 Tour de France as one of the race's main favourites after Contador's Astana team was excluded from the race for previous misdemeanours. However, the Australian was once again the bridesmaid and was overwhelmed by the dominance of the CSC team of eventual winner, Carlos Sastre.

Throughout the race, Evans was involved in several confrontational incidents with the media. He used a bodyguard throughout the race and refused to talk with the press at times and even head-butted a camera at one point.

Evans remained with Silence-Lotto team for the 2009 season, where he ultimately failed to make an impact on the Tour de France but placed third overall in the Vuelta a Espana.

Evans used his condition from the Vuelta a Espana to win the 2009 World Championship road race in Switzerland in September with a blistering solo attack in the final 3km of the race.

In November 2009, Evans announced his sudden departure from the Belgian Silence-Lotto team, and promptly signed with the US-based BMC Racing Team.

In 2011, he became the first Australian to win the Tour de France.

Cadel Evans results

2014

Tour Down Under; stage three

Giro del Trentino; stage three

Giro del Trentino; overall

Tour of Utah; stage six

Tour of Utah; stage seven

2013

Tour of Alberta; stage four

2012

Criterium International; stage two ITT

Criterium International; overall

Criterium International; points classification

Criterium du Dauphine; stage one

Criterium du Dauphine; points classification

2011

Tirreno-Adriatico; stage six

Tirreno-Adriatico; overall classification

Tour de Romandie; overall classification

Tour de France; stage four

Tour de France; overall

2010

La Fleche Wallonne

Giro d'Italia; stage seven

2009

Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré; prologue

Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré; points classification

Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali; stage five

World road race Championships

2008

Paris-Nice; stage four

Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali; stage three

Vuelta a Andalucia; stage two

2007

UCI ProTour; overall winner

TT test event, Beijing

2006

Tour de Romandie; overall

Tour de Romandie; stage five

2004

Tour of Austria; overall

Tour of Austria; stage two

2002

Settimana Ciclista Internazionale; stage one

Tour Down Under; stage five

International UNIQA Classic

Commonwealth champion, TT

2001

Tour of Austria; overall

1999

Mountain bike World Cup; overall

1998

Mountain bike World Cup; overall

Related links

Cycling Weekly's Rider Profiles: Index