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Davitamon-Lotto: McEwen confident, Evans careful
Australians Robbie McEwen and Cadel Evans of the Davitamon-Lotto squad were a study in contrasts in Gap on Monday while discussing their outlook for the final six stages of the race.
And perhaps rightfully so — the outspoken McEwen has a relatively tight grasp on the green points jersey, while the soft-spoken Evans, sitting fifth on GC, 2:46 behind leader Floyd Landis (Phonak), is far from certain to finish on the podium in Paris.
At a rest-day press conference with McEwen, Evans and Davitamon team manager Marc Sergeant, the team’s patron said he’s not surprised at how well the Aussies have raced up to this point.
"We knew how good Robbie was, we saw this before the first rest day," Sergeant said. "I was sure Cadel would be good, and he showed us the second day in the Pyrenees how good he was. He lost only 17 seconds. It was only a very good Landis and [Denis] Menchov who were stronger. Maybe he learned a few lessons about it. We’re still on a good track to take the green and yellow jerseys, but as you saw yesterday with [Cofidis rider Rik] Verbrugghe, anything can happen."
While Sergeant was referring to Evans’s decision to work in the leading group atop Pla-de-Beret on stage 11, won by Russian Menchov (Rabobank), Evans said the tactic wasn’t a mistake.
"I chose to work with Landis," Evans said. "I’m a GC rider, Marc [Sergeant] was a one-day rider. That was a decision I made at the time, thinking was that I was in the race. I thought I might lose out something in the finish, and it did cost me. But I think between [Carlos] Sastre and Menchov and myself, we weren’t that different that day. I do think Landis was a bit stronger than the rest of us."
Evans conceded that the Tour appeared to be Landis’s race to lose.
"Yeah, at the moment, it is Landis’s race," Evans said. "Of the contenders, he seems to time trial better than the rest of us. In the third week of the Tour everything changes for everyone. I’m sure it will be no different this year."
As for McEwen, his confidence doesn’t just extend to his green jersey; he seemed to enjoy answering Evans’s questions for him. When Evans was asked what would change for him in the final week of the Tour, McEwen chimed in, "The color of his jersey."
But Evans, who won the Tour of Romandy in May by taking the final time trial, seemed content with his performance in the first two weeks of the Tour.
"So far, so good," he said. "I can’t say a lot on how I’m going to be because this Tour is so different for me. This is only my second Tour, so I don’t have a lot to plan on or base on or know what to expect. The third week is where it really comes down to the physique of the riders, and the riders who are most well rounded versus those who have stressed themselves earlier in the season. It’s going to be an interesting third week — and a tiring one."
Asked what he feels will be the most decisive stage of the remainder of the Tour, Evans said, "I don’t know. I’ll find out myself. The stage 19 time trial, probably."
But Evans repeatedly described the Tour as uncertain, and was reluctant to make any predictions.
"This is such a different Tour than in the past seven years. In the past we had Discovery making an early selection and then a few riders who could stay with [Lance] Armstrong for a while, but now we don’t have such a strong team to make the early selection. That alone changes a lot, plus every other unpredictable factor that’s in our sport and in this race."
McEwen agreed. "There have been a lot of potential GC guys scrambling into breaks," he said. "Guys who can’t take 15 minutes have been going up the road. I almost preferred it when Armstrong was in the race, because there was more control. There would be a few breakaway attempts and then the iron fist would come down and order would be restored."
Evans said his primary goal for 2006 remains to improve on last year’s Tour, where he finished eighth, one place ahead of Landis. Without naming a specific placing, Evans said he wanted "to be satisfied" with his Tour.
"I just want to ride a good race, that always brings a good result. I’m not counting numbers or placings. I don’t like to look at the numbers, it doesn’t … sync with me," he said.
McEwen, clearly knowing better, coughed a theatrical "bullshit!" into his hands.
As for the chase to secure a third green jersey, McEwen said he sees world champ Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Innergetic) as his biggest threat, adding that he didn’t intend to let the Belgian out of his sight. "I’ll defend it with everything I’ve got."
Asked if he’s faster this year, with his finishing speed seemingly unsurpassed, McEwen replied, "No, I’d say I’m about the same. [Finishing] is something I train for. I have to, I’m getting older."
