Cadel Evans and Taylor Phinney have overcome their injuries sustained in training crashes and will start the Tour de Romandie on Tuesday. Both have last raced in the Volta a Catalunya, in March.
Evans crashed on March 31 in his home area in Switzerland and the healing phase took longer than expected. "I am feeling 90 to 95 percent recovered from the injuries," the Australian says.
Evans, who won the Tour de Romandie in 2006, only wants to finish the six-day competition without any problems. "I want to take it day-by-day and find out what level I'm at and from that make a plan of what I can contribute to the team," Evans says. "The hardest part will be people expecting me to go there to win it. You have to be realistic. I've had four weeks of interrupted training – it's not what I'd planned and not at the level I wanted to go to Romandie."
Evans hurt his right quadriceps in the incident and he has not raced since finishing eighth at the Vuelta a Catalunya on March 27. Team Director John Lelangue is certain that the mountainous race will be a good gauge of Evans's fitness. "It looks like his training is going well but racing is always different," Lelangue says.
Taylor Phinney returns to racing as well, after time off due to a training ride crash. The U.S. national time trial champion will sport the stars and stripes in the 3.5-kilometer prologue and the stage four 20-kilometer individual time trial. His last race was also the Volta a Catalunya.
Phinney has not had an ideal season so far, with knee trouble keeping him off the bike during some of the preparation phases. He started the Volta a Catalunya, but was forced to withdraw due to recurring knee problems. Prior to that, he suffered a concussion during a training accident after the Tour of Oman.
BMC Racing Team Tour de Romandie Roster (April 26-May 1):
Cadel Evans (AUS), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Steve Morabito (SUI), Taylor Phinney (USA), Ivan Santaromita (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Johann Tschopp (SUI), Danilo Wyss (SUI).