Cadel Evans Discussion Thread

[delbified]

TJs fifth place was significantly helped by out-climbing and out-timetrialing Evans

Evans had a virus, and still finished 7th. TJ is definitely a contender, don't get me wrong, but he's yet to prove he can ride at Cadel's level.

 

[TourOfTexas]

TJs fifth place was significantly helped by out-climbing and out-timetrialing Evans and 190 other riders.

What rider has been able to do a good Giro then follow it up with a good Tour? Evans should target the Vuelta.

Nobody, which is why something doesn't make sense here.

My theory - He started the Giro with the intention of pulling out early if he wasn't doing well to focus on the Tour. Since he is doing well, he will stay in the Giro at the cost of not being competitive on the Tour.

 

[Tigerion]

If he does go for the Tour, the only comparable season I can see of his is 2010. Wasn't in the running in the Tour that year, but he'd had a big Classics season and was talking in a different way about the Giro beforehand, IIRC. I'll be interested to see how this progresses.

Why do you say he wasn't in the running that year? He was in yellow when he fractured his elbow

Nobody, which is why something doesn't make sense here.

My theory - He started the Giro with the intention of pulling out early if he wasn't doing well to focus on the Tour. Since he is doing well, he will stay in the Giro at the cost of not being competitive on the Tour.

Possibly. Going into it he stated it was a risk, but he is a rider that performs better with more kms in his legs than most. He felt he didn't have enough so figured the only way to get some form was to ride giro. He probably thought a top 20 results would be his, get the race miles but not push 100% to go with everybody.

 

[Ferminal]

Because cycling is a business and Tdf is biggest event.

After winning this years Giro, makes sense to go for double.

For whom is it a business?

Evans is probably not going to get better sponsorships just because he rode a top10 in the Tour a 6th time, and his contract has another one or two seasons on it.

Rihs certainly couldn't give a **** about anything other than winning, so an Evans 4th or 5th isn't really different from a Van Garderen 6th or 7th in that regard.

 

[taiwan]

Why do you say he wasn't in the running that year? He was in yellow when he fractured his elbow.

Forgot that he fractured his elbow that year.

 

[delbified]

Forgot that he fractured his elbow that year.

so you agree he should be looking good then, now

 

[taiwan]

so you agree he should be looking good then, now

As I'm not remembering how that played out, I wouldn't want to comment. Only one mountain stage at that point though so not much to go on.

Second thought - going by the results alone he seemed to be in a good position.

 

[delbified]

from memory, Dertie got buffeted by x-winds in an early stage and Cuddles stole some early time off him. you're right that it was too early to tell how well Cadel would have done in the high mountains.

 

[movingtarget]

Why even do the Tour? Vuelta/Worlds would be far better.

I guess if you race in July you get to have 6 months off.

Would make more sense. Vuelta is always good prep for the Worlds and the course is very suitable for Evans. But of course Evans and BMC want to be in the biggest bike race in the world whether it makes sense or not. You would think a second GT without much of a gap is going to be a big ask at 36. I think he is surprising himself at the moment considering how poor he was at Tirreno although he did show some improvement at Trentino. The third week of the Giro should be interesting as I think there could be a reshuffle in the top 10. One bad day for anyone and everything changes as the time gaps are not huge.

 

[9000ft]

Evans had a virus, and still finished 7th. TJ is definitely a contender, don't get me wrong, but he's yet to prove he can ride at Cadel's level.

I would think most people would think TJ has a lot of potential to be competitive with the best of the elite but still has a ways to go to prove himself. I'd agree that winning the ToC isn't that proof. He may be the future of BMC, but for now Cadel is still the man.

Major props to Cadel though. I think it's quite likely that he didn't expect to be in good enough form yet to be where he is (that plus Wiggins and Hesjedal being off form) and now he's too competitive to just soft pedal and call it preparation for the tour. Makes you wonder if Ochowicz has told him what to do one way or another) To stand on the podium of the Giro is nothing to sneeze at, especially when conditions have made it a true tough man's epic.

 

[whittashau]

TJ still hasn't proven that he can climb well on steep climbs. I doubt he'll ever be the rider Evans is.

 

[Jelantik]

Nobody, which is why something doesn't make sense here.

My theory - He started the Giro with the intention of pulling out early if he wasn't doing well to focus on the Tour. Since he is doing well, he will stay in the Giro at the cost of not being competitive on the Tour.

if Evans won the Giro, he got a chance to do Giro/Tour double without he plans. Not like that's his plan nor he would attempt that, or it would happen, but hey anything can happen right?. Winning or podium in Giro, at least gave him a piece in mind and be relax going to Tour, because he wins or podium in GT. Evan can let his 'overrated teammate trying to convince that he is tour contender' and watch him falls flat on his face. TVG would be lucky if he can stay in top 10.

 

[ferryman]

Fantastic quote from Cadel:

"I see a really good Nibali and a good Astana team. He deserves to be in pink. He's been able to cover everything that has been thrown at him far. Compared to the other 12 Grand Tours I've done, it's been a real test of teams, of concentration, of bike handling, physical ability, of climbing, of being good on the flat, in the cross wind, in the heat, in the cold. It's been a test of everyone and everything in the race. It's been interesting to say the least. Now with a week to go, with a few more opportunities to go, we'll see where we go from here."

What a great summary

 

[Walkman]

Fantastic quote from Cadel:

"I see a really good Nibali and a good Astana team. He deserves to be in pink. He's been able to cover everything that has been thrown at him far. Compared to the other 12 Grand Tours I've done, it's been a real test of teams, of concentration, of bike handling, physical ability, of climbing, of being good on the flat, in the cross wind, in the heat, in the cold. It's been a test of everyone and everything in the race. It's been interesting to say the least. Now with a week to go, with a few more opportunities to go, we'll see where we go from here."

What a great summary

Indeed it was!

The Giro truly is a different beast compared to the Tour. That's why I never really believed in Wiggins. In the Tour, you can go really far by just producing good numbers whereas the Giro will test you as a bike rider.

 

[delbified]

Major props to Cadel though. I think it's quite likely that he didn't expect to be in good enough form yet to be where he is

Cadel has never spoken about himself in the derisory terms so often used by cycing 'fans', including on this forum. he has always seen himself as an elite GT contender and put bad luck and experiences behind him. when his detractors mocked him and said he should aim lower and Bertie would mop the floor with him, he ignored them and persisted - and finally won.

people say his aussie fans are fanboys, but they don't get it - Cadel is special, in a way most other aussie riders are not. his grit and determination are on a higher level than even most of the elite pros. we love an underdog and i take great pride in his performance this year. it's not just that he's an aussie.

 

[movingtarget]

Cadel has never spoken about himself in the derisory terms so often used by cycing 'fans', including on this forum. he has always seen himself as an elite GT contender and put bad luck and experiences behind him. when his detractors mocked him and said he should aim lower and Bertie would mop the floor with him, he ignored them and persisted - and finally won.

people say his aussie fans are fanboys, but they don't get it - Cadel is special, in a way most other aussie riders are not. his grit and determination are on a higher level than even most of the elite pros. we love an underdog and i take great pride in his performance this year. it's not just that he's an aussie.

For whatever reason a lot of people just don't get Evans. But as a sports fan one has to admire what the guy is doing at the age of 36. He is one tough competitor.

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

For whatever reason a lot of people just don't get Evans. But as a sports fan one has to admire what the guy is doing at the age of 36. He is one tough competitor.

He is great, gives it his all. My only criticism is his inability to attack riders in high mountains, instead just grinding away. That's just his style though

 

[eljimberino]

Has he ever pulled out of a tour?

 

[movingtarget]

Has he ever pulled out of a tour?

No he hasn't.

 

[eljimberino]

Amazing really.

The broken arm job was a doozy.

 

[The Hitch]

Cadel has never spoken about himself in the derisory terms so often used by cycing 'fans', including on this forum. he has always seen himself as an elite GT contender and put bad luck and experiences behind him. when his detractors mocked him and said he should aim lower and Bertie would mop the floor with him, he ignored them and persisted - and finally won.

umm contador would wipe the floor with evans. The time evans won the tour, was the year contador did the giro

 

[goggalor]

Vino and Evans close friends? I'm really not too sure on that one. Would definitely make me like Evans more if it was true though.

And of course, the year Contador did the Giro, most here still thought he would mop the floor with Cadel in the Tour.

 

[Netserk]

He would if it wasn't for crashes

 

[Panda Claws]

He would if it wasn't for crashes

Doubt it.

10 char

 

[The Hitch]

Vino and Evans close friends? I'm really not too sure on that one. Would definitely make me like Evans more if it was true though.

And of course, the year Contador did the Giro, most here still thought he would mop the floor with Cadel in the Tour.

Plenty of us said Contador would struggle with giro tour after that giro. And the whole discussion went out of the window after contador lost 2 minutes before the race even began, then another 20 seconds with the injury on Luz Ardiden.

As for vino, there was that pic of them all at a night out in the off season from 3 or 4 years back. Cant find it now though.