BMC Racing lost its chance of winning the yellow jersey with Cadel Evans, but looks ready to take the Tour de France's white jersey. Tejay Van Garderen, 23 years old, leads the young riders' competition by 3-16 minutes with two days left to race.
"Are we going to go home happy? We are going to go home satisfied that we were here and played a role in the race," general manager, Jim Ochowicz told Cycling Weekly. "We didn't accomplish what our ultimate objective was, which was to defend the jersey, but we came away with another jersey."
Cadel Evans lost any chance of winning the race over the last two days in the Pyrenean Mountains. BMC Racing had insisted its only goal was to win the Tour and that the white jersey was a bi-product of its work. It kept Van Garderen as Evans' main lieutenant, but made the decision to let him off the leash Wednesday. He rode clear on the Aspin and Peyresourde climbs when Evans drifted back.
"We made the decision on the fly. We saw what happened and we had other people there to help him [Evans], to bring Tejay back would've served no purpose," Ochowicz explained. "It was as better to keep him in the race, if nothing else. If Cadel came back we would've had someone there to help him."
Besides wearing the white jersey, the American from Washington sits fifth overall at 8-30 minutes behind Bradley Wiggins (Sky). He hopes to finish fourth on Sunday in Paris. He will need to gain 2-37 minutes on Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol). Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) sits third overall and is nearly six minutes ahead - too far, according to Van Garderen.
"I have great form. I'm going to empty the tank and give it all I have for the time trail," he said in the media mix-zone. "Getting on the podium, though, is not possible. Nibali is not a bad time trialist."
Van Garderen joined BMC Racing over the winter from team HTC-Highroad. As a neo-pro two years ago, he placed third in the Critérium du Dauphiné and last year, he placed second in the Tour of Algarve. Ochowicz told Cycling Weekly earlier in the race that he thinks Van Garderen could return to win the general classification one day.
"He's got the skills, he can TT and he can climb," Ochowicz said. "He has all the characteristics of a Grand Tour rider."
Tour de France 2012: Latest news
Sky's quick exit strategy from the Tour
Wiggins and Froome explain Tour stage 17 final climb debate
Liquigas hopes Tour success could help find sponsor
Froome: Nibali's attacks weren't going anywhere
Wiggins' Tour de France training
Voigt tries to carry on as RadioShack's future seems in doubt
Frank Schleck positive for banned substance at Tour
Rest day review (July 17)
Defending Tour champ Evans has work to do in Pyrenees
Sprinters' teams unwilling to work on stage 15
Evans suffers multiple punctures after Tour tack attack
Froome not winning this year's Tour is 'very great sacrifice'
Frank Schleck criticises 'boring' Tour de France
Tour de France 2012: Teams, riders, start list
Tour 2012: Who will win?
Tour de France 2012 start list and withdrawals
Tour de France 2012 team list
Tour de France 2012: Stage reports
Stage 18: Cavendish wins Tour stage 18 with irresistible sprint
Stage 17: Wiggins step closer to Paris as Valverde wins stage
Stage 16: Voeckler the Pyrenean king as he wins in Bagneres de Luchon
Stage 15: Fedrigo wins, day off for peloton
Stage 14: Sanchez solos to Foix victory to save Rabobank's Tour
Stage 13: Greipel survives climb and crosswinds to win third Tour stage
Stage 12: Millar wins Tour stage nine years from his last
Stage 11: Wiggins strengthens Tour lead as Evans slips back
Stage 10: Voeckler wins and saves his Tour
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 18 by Graham Watson
Stage 17 by Graham Watson
Stage 16 by Graham Watson
Stage 15 by Graham Watson
Stage 14 by Graham Watson
Stage 13 by Graham Watson
Stage 12 by Graham Watson
Stage 11 by Graham Watson
Stage 10 by Graham Watson
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 17 live coverage
Stage 16 live coverage
Stage 12 live coverage
Stage 11 live coverage
Stage 10 live coverage
Stage nine live 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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