Cadel Evans well prepared for Worlds
Defending world champion Cadel Evans has said that his preparations for the Road Cycling World Championships have gone well, but that there are several contenders for the title besides himself.
Evans crashed with fellow Australian Simon Gerrans during the eighth stage of this year's Tour de France. The 33-year-old finished the race with a fractured elbow, an injury from which he has now recovered after resting for the past two months.
"I haven't had that many races to test myself, but the few I had showed promising signs and it's all gone pretty well," the Australian team captain said of his preparation for the Worlds, which begins on Wednesday.
"I've come over to Australia and it's gone pretty smoothly - we're training well up here in Canberra and most of the guys look like they're going pretty well."
Having finished fifth in this year's Giro d'Italia, where he claimed the points classification, Evans is among the favorites to win the race.
When asked about his chances, the veteran was quick to point out that the Italian and Belgian teams are also captained by two favorites for the title.
"Certainly [Philippe] Gilbert and [Filippo] Pozzato [are favorites] in terms of the strongest teams with the best captains - I think going into the race they're the guys to beat."
Sunday's versatile route
The 262km stretch that riders will face on Sunday runs from Melbourne to Geelong on the south coast of Australia. During the first 83km, riders could be exposed to strong winds, while the loop that follows contains two difficult climbs.
Sprinters are likely to struggle with the climbs, while time-trialists may fancy their chances during the last part of the race.
"When we had the discussion with [Australian Institute of Sport's] Shayne Bannan about what I thought the race would come down to, we agreed that the climb there is pretty hard, but we've got before and after [the climb] to deal with as well, and that's
where guys like [Fabian] Cancellara, Gilbert and the guys who ride the Northern Classics show their capabilities and strengths."
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