Evans's change of approach

[SoNiK4]

Seeing there was a thread started about Basso's more "aggressive" approach this year, I thought I'd refer to Evans coming in a bit more low key.

Any thoughts on him coming into the Tour less tired will help his chances at podium?

 

[ak-zaaf]

Any thoughts on him coming into the Tour less tired will help his chances at podium?

I seriously think those days are over for Evans.

 

[Kwibus]

Seeing there was a thread started about Basso's more "aggressive" approach this year, I thought I'd refer to Evans coming in a bit more low key.

Any thoughts on him coming into the Tour less tired will help his chances at podium?

I wish him all the luck this Tour, but I don't think he can do it anymore and certainly not on this course.
If he will win it this year it will be a great upset.

 

[theyoungest]

It will help his chances, but I liked the all-year-round Evans a lot more. And he couldn't have picked a worse Tour to completely focus on.

 

[taiwan]

It will help his chances, but I liked the all-year-round Evans a lot more. And he couldn't have picked a worse Tour to completely focus on.

How so? Bert still may not ride.

 

[kurtinsc]

How so? Bert still may not ride.

Not a lot of TT km's. He's proven unable to ascend with Basso based on the Giro last year, let alone Schleck.

I have no problem with him targeting the Tour as far as GT's go... none of the GT's support a strong TT-type guy this year. Hopefully he'll still try to ride hard at P-N or T-A and the Ardennes though.

 

[taiwan]

Not a lot of TT km's. He's proven unable to ascend with Basso based on the Giro last year, let alone Schleck.

I have no problem with him targeting the Tour as far as GT's go... none of the GT's support a strong TT-type guy this year. Hopefully he'll still try to ride hard at P-N or T-A and the Ardennes though.

Even at the Giro he had peaked too early because of the Ardennes. His support will definitely be improved as well. I think this is worth doing. Not that I'm generally for scrapping the whole season in favour of the one race.

 

[Havetts]

I dont know what to think of it, I hope Evans can surprise me .

 

[Mellow Velo]

In a word, disappointing.
Fed up with riders doing this; putting all their eggs into the Tour basket and depriving those who follow the sport of competitive racing throughout the season.
That is a very, very light programme, with little prospect of adding a worthwhile palmare.
I'm surprised, given the current PT points scheme, that BMC feel they can afford this approach. Maybe they know something we don't.
I'm not sure what ACF will make of this choice, but if I were him, I'd not be pleased.

 

[Anonymous]

Low Key is a really good adjective for Cadel Evans.

That can be his new nickname

Cadel "lowki" Evans. sounds like a rapper.

 

[kurtinsc]

Reading the article... he might actually be able to have a very successful early season with what he's choosing to do.

Based on the riders who've focused on the races in the past, he's got a very good shot at winning Catalunya and Romandie instead of trying for P-N and the Ardennes.

If Evans comes into June with podiums at Catalunya and Romandie, it might be considered a more successfule "pre-tour" season then having top 10's at P-N and the three big Ardennes races.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Evans will never win a GT. I said this in his first Giro and wil stick with it until the end of his career

 

[hrotha]

At least he can do the Vuelta and the autumn classics afterwards.

 

[Angliru]

One would have to question who was behind making his race program in the past based on his recent confession that he's constantly arrived at the Tour fatigued. At what point does the light come on in one's head that maybe scaling back the pre-Tour race schedule may be a way to combat the yearly fatigue that he's felt in early July? Considering he also stated that he finds it quite difficult to not go all out in any race he competes then why didn't he and his managers limit the number of races in his program?

 

[jens_attacks]

i really want a grand tour victory for cadel but i think this year's tour is a no-no(40 km itt lol).maybe next year's vuelta or something...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

One would have to question who was behind making his race program in the past based on his recent confession that he's constantly arrived at the Tour fatigued. At what point does the light come on in one's head that maybe scaling back the pre-Tour race schedule may be a way to combat the yearly fatigue that he's felt in early July? Considering he also stated that he finds it quite difficult to not go all out in any race he competes then why didn't he and his managers limit the number of races in his program?

it is revisionist lies. he never started the tour tired he would always make that excuse AFTER the tour. the 2009 tour being most pathetic when evans sucked so hard he explained that the reasons behind it could not be discussed then, but he would say after the tour. well he never said what it was. I can tell you what it was. coward lies from a man so afraid to lose he makes up excuses quicker than tom boonen. I have zero respect for the guy that when he feels some pressure become and aggresive moron to journalists and basically everyone. the guy is mentaly in no state to ever be on the forefront.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cuddles could podium but he won't win.

He may even stick with Basso - it was only on the really steep stuff that he couldn't hang with the Liquigas leader - given that Tour climbs don't tend to have the same gradients as their Italian and even Spanish counterparts.

The Evans of today will be less shy about attacking the group or responding to attacks - but I feel that at his age he's going to be less capable of going with the best even if he is more willing - in the past I almost got the feeling he felt more comfortable once there was something he could blame for not winning - lack of team, Spanish collusion, illness, a crash, an ill-timed puncture or some such - because it meant he could justify it if he didn't win. Once he had a truly big win - the Worlds - this trait seems less at the forefront, and he has not only won more but won over many former detractors.

He'll do a LOT better at the Tour than he did in '09 and '10 though. I guess now he's won the Worlds and a pretty major Classic, he doesn't feel the need to be trying to force things, but I think his competitive instinct may still destroy him, as I just can't ever see the day when Cuddles finds himself in contention for a race, isn't in peak form, but just accepts that and lets go.

It's a shame, as that's always been one of Cuddles' most likable traits - that he is willing to compete for races all year long - but it has hamstrung his attempts to win a GT. Now he's trying the other approach but it may be too late as he is likely no longer at his peak.

 

[Ryaguas]

Nah poor Cuddles... this year He wont have a win... He could make top 10 in Le Tour but besides that nothing... He wont win in FW... last year He could take advantage of his exp in the Mur beating a Contador who attacked 20secs early, this year I cant see anyone beating Contador in the Mur... but lets see what happens.

 

[Granville57]

At least he can do the Vuelta and the autumn classics afterwards.

Yes, and I think if Evans were able to win the TdF, he would race quite a bit after that. Much in the way he committed himself to honoring the Rainbow jersey, I would bet that he would make quite a few appearances as the "2011 TdF Winner," given the opportunity.

It would be great to see him win it. It would be a great story and forever cement his legacy. This is all just speculation after all. I don't relate to those who seem to get upset by the prospect. To me, the unpredictable is what makes the sport worth watching.

 

[eljimberino]

Perhaps BMC are willing to commit their troops to the classics in the earlier part of the season, and then GC's in the second half. I thought last year he would have been better off skipping the tour and having a crack at the Vuelta. The latter he surely has a chance of winning.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not a lot of TT km's. He's proven unable to ascend with Basso based on the Giro last year, let alone Schleck.

I have no problem with him targeting the Tour as far as GT's go... none of the GT's support a strong TT-type guy this year. Hopefully he'll still try to ride hard at P-N or T-A and the Ardennes though.

I think it is a good thing though the Cycling news article is an old one.
His program is

Giro Del Friuli
Monte Paschi Eroica
Tirenno Adriatico
Catalunya
Pais Vasco
Amstel
Fleche
Romandie
Dauphine

The only thing I am not happy about is he is probably skipping Liege. Dump Amstel for Liege. Amstel is the around the same distance so that is not an issue. Do Liege which he has a good chance of at least reaching the podium let alone the top step

Anyway, I think if he prepares well he should definetly have a good chance of taking out the tdf title.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Seeing there was a thread started about Basso's more "aggressive" approach this year, I thought I'd refer to Evans coming in a bit more low key.

Any thoughts on him coming into the Tour less tired will help his chances at podium?

I think it will help his chances. But as others have said, at his age and with THIS Tour route his chances aren't good. Umm, coming at this point in his career, does the move to a light schedule mean Cadel thinks this is his last shot to win the Tour? I don't know but it kinda looks that way. I'd like to see him win it, but I wouldn't put money on it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think he can be up there for this year and next year. He is not an explosive rider. with age you aren't going to see much of a difference in acceleration. I think he will be climbing better that before in the tour with being more fresh.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I agree with that. And hope it works out for him.

 

[maltiv]

I think it is a good thing though the Cycling news article is an old one.
His program is

Giro Del Friuli
Monte Paschi Eroica
Tirenno Adriatico
Catalunya
Pais Vasco
Amstel
Fleche
Romandie
Dauphine

The only thing I am not happy about is he is probably skipping Liege. Dump Amstel for Liege. Amstel is the around the same distance so that is not an issue. Do Liege which he has a good chance of at least reaching the podium let alone the top step

Anyway, I think if he prepares well he should definetly have a good chance of taking out the tdf title.

I might be wrong, but to me that doesn't look like a light schedule. Unless he intends to soft-pedal all those 1 week races he will come to the TDF tired. Why would he do catalunya, Pais Vasco, romandie and dauphine? That's almost as tiresome as doing the giro...