Whilst the media will swarm around Armstrong, don’t forget who’s just taken the yellow jersey. Bravo, as they say, for Cadel Evans. Swapping the rainbow jersey for yellow is something I don’t think has happened since 1990 when Greg Lemond won the Tour de France, it’s a little bit of history.
Evans has to be one of the unluckiest riders in the bunch. He could have won the last Vuelta were it not for a puncture and a frustrating slow wheel change; arguably he could have won the Giro were it not for illness. Sport is full of “coulda, woulda, shoulda” but Evans has missed out on some wins thanks to genuine misfortune.
Will he win the Tour, well who knows? I suspect not but he’s proving his abilities throughout the season. Without singling him out, a rider like Wiggins has done little this year, only to get ejected on the first climb. Meanwhile Evans has won classics, stages of the Giro and more this year. In an age where riders can focus obsessively on target races, his target seems to be winning anything up for grabs.
Mr Teeth…I think I heard Sean Kelley say today that Tom Boonen was the last to wear the yellow and the WC jersey. I haven't researched it myself though.
Thanks J, you could well be right.
Fabian Cancellara has some world championship stripes for the time trial, and has spent a reasonable bit of time in yellow himself.
Wasn't just a slow wheel change, didn't they give him the wrong one? Gave him Shimano when they should have known he was a Campag wheel, or was that just a rumour?
He rode a canny race today but I think he need more of a gap on Schleck ahead of the Pyrenees. Interesting that he didn't ride like someone who had little/no support from the rest of his team.
I'd be stoked to see two former mountain bikers (Evans and Hesjedal) on the podium!
I have delighted to see Cadel Evans ride so well in so many different races this year. He may not have had the best relationship with the media in the past but his gutsy performances have led me to put a modest bet on him for the TdF win this year.