Evans: Two weeks to make up two minutes in Tour de France

Cadel Evans, Tour de France 2012, prologue

Cadel Evans has his back up against the wall after losing a further time to Brad Wiggins today in the Tour de France. At the end of the Tour's first long time trial test, he looked over the GC results sheet: Wiggins first and Evans second, but at a distance of one minute and 43 seconds.

Evans arrived at the team bus after an anti-doping control to face questions about how he is going to defend his overall title. Last year, BMC Racing's leader only trailed Andy Schleck by 57 seconds going into the final time trial. Today, he faces twice that amount and what French newspaper, L'Equipe is calling the Sky Force.

Microphones and TV cameras neared. Still in his TT kit, salty from the day's effort, Evans said, "I am obliged to chase time before the next time trial."

The Tour de France this year is billed as a race of time trials, but Evans is going to utilise every mountain stage available to try to crack Sky. The race continues on Wednesday with a mountain stage to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. Just as in the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier this year, Evans may use the preceding climbs to break free.

It is a fight for time gains before the next time trial. At 53.5km, the Chartres TT covers more ground than today's 41.5km test. It is a tough fight considering Evans lost 1-43 today to Wiggins and 1-08 to Chris Froome. Wiggins' team-mate, Froome gained enough time to jump to third overall.

More and more microphones neared as journalists realised the defending champion was present.

"Since the start I have not been in an optimal position, but I will continue to go for the yellow jersey until Paris," Evans said. "I am a little disappointed to lose that time, but Froome and Wiggins rode really, really well."

One journalist asked Evans about the possibility of doing better in the road stages. If Evans did not have the TT legs to compare with Wiggins', he said, then maybe it would be a different picture when the race hits its first high mountains.

"That's not how it works to be honest, but that is how it has played out in the last two days," Evans continued.

"I have been feeling better day by day and having the hilltop finish there to open things up for me. I was surprised how Sky fell apart in the last climb [yesterday], but I am also surprised that they had first and second... In the time trial they were exceptional."

The team's manager, John Lelangue is polished and used to dealing with hard questions. He saw his father doing it when he was directing in Eddy Merckx's team. Before Evans arrived from anti-doping, Lelangue tried to put a positive spin on the time loss.

"Two minutes, two weeks... we have time," Lelangue explained. "If it was finished I would already be heading home tonight."

He looked over the results sheet, too.

"It's not a bad time trial if you look at the results. I think that other guys lost more time than Cadel. We were beaten by strong guys - two of them. It's not finished. We still have two weeks to go until Paris. We still have to race the Alps and the Pyrenees, and one more time trial."

Tour de France 2012: Latest news

Wiggins proud of Tour time trial stage win

Wiggins lashes out after doping accusations

Evans and BMC out-gunned by Sky in the mountains

Wiggins looking to keep Tour lead until Paris

Froome on Tour stage win: I had the legs and went for it

Martin to lead Garmin in the mountains as Hesjedal withdraws

Dislocated shoulder hinders Greipel sprint

Hesjedal may be out of Tour after Garmin suffer in crash

Stage seven video preview

The Feed Zone: Tour news round-up (July 5)

Celebrating the Tour's lead-out men

Liquigas's yellow and green jersey aim at Tour

Brailsford: Sky on the front for Cav and Wiggins

Tour de France 2012: Teams, riders, start list

Tour 2012: Who will win?

Tour de France 2012 provisional start list

Tour de France 2012 team list

Tour de France 2012: Stage reports

Stage nine: Wiggins destroys opposition in Besancon TT

Stage eight: Pinot solos to Tour win as Wiggins fights off attacks

Stage seven: Wiggins takes yellow as Froome wins stage

Stage six: Sagan wins third Tour stage

Stage five: Greipel wins again as Cavendish fades

Stage four: Greipel wins stage after Cavendish crashes

Stage three: Sagan runs away with it in Boulogne

Stage two: Cavendish takes 21st Tour stage victory

Stage one: Sagan wins at first attempt

Prologue: Cancellara wins, Wiggins second

Tour de France 2012: Comment, analysis, blogs

Analysis: What we learned at La Planche des Belles Filles

Analysis: How much time could Wiggins gain in Tour's time trials

CW's Tour de France podcasts

Blog: Tour presentation - chasing dreams and autographs

Comment: Cavendish the climber

Tour de France 2012: Photo galleries

Stage nine by Graham Watson

Stage eight by Graham Watson

Stage seven by Graham Watson

Stage six by Graham Watson

Stage five by Graham Watson

Stage four by Graham Watson

Stage three by Graham Watson

Stage two by Andy Jones

Stage two by Graham Watson

Stage one by Graham Watson

Prologue photo gallery by Andy Jones

Prologue photo gallery by Roo Rowler

Prologue photo gallery by Graham Watson

Tour de France 2012: Team presentation

Sky and Rabobank Tour de France recce

Tour de France 2012: Live text coverage

Stage six live coverage

Stage five live coverage

Stage four live coverage

Stage three live coverage

Cycling Weekly's live text coverage schedule

Tour de France 2012: TV schedule

ITV4 live schedule

British Eurosport live schedule

Tour de France 2012: Related links

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

Brief history of the Tour de France

Tour de France 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

1989: The Greatest Tour de France ever

 

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