Second for the fourth time in five years, Australian rider Cadel Evans has weighed up his Critérium du Dauphiné performance and said that he is content with how things went in France. The BMC Racing Team competitor ended the eight day WorldTour event one minute 26 seconds behind British victor Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling).
“Other than not winning, I came away from our nine days in France reasonably pleased,” he said in his online blog. “Looking towards July, the smaller details are on the right track; getting to know team mates, refining equipment selection, course familiarisation, hanging out with the BMC boys, etc.”
Although Wiggins was best over the course of the race, Evans finished ahead of third-placed Alexandre Vinokourov, plus other Tour rivals such as Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma Lotto), Janez Brajkovic (Team RadioShack) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank). He did so despite suffering in the mountains due to allergies.
“Considering a few little unexpected hiccups this week, frustrating health issues included, second was actually not so bad,” he said. “Dauphiné is also an easier race to enjoy. Big climbs, a hard time trial, a very good field, good weather, enthusiastic spectators and amazing French countryside can be appreciated as opposed to the usual blur of nervous hype and its related headaches that some other races cannot do without.”
The 34 year old said that he will now take several days of reduced activity before knuckling down again and continuing to build his form. He knows that he has to keep gaining condition if he is to fight for Tour victory, the big aim of his career.
“The last three days in the hills and mountains were raced at an exception level, not that the first days were exactly easy. And home time is, well, like the forbidden fruit when you don't get enough of it. Then, back into it towards the 'big lap',” he explained, referring to the Tour.
Evans’ best performances in cycling’s biggest event came in 2007 and 2008 when he was second to Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre, respectively.