Cadel may compete in mountain bike event at 2012 Olympics

CADEL Evans may turn back the clock and compete in the mountain bike class at the 2012 London Olympics.

Evans, 34, is bidding to become just the third cyclist after Jan Ulrich and Miguel Indurain to win the treble – Tour de France, world road title and Olympic gold.

And the mountain bike race may offer Evans his best chance of Olympic success rather than the time trial (fifth) and road race (15th) that he rode at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Neither of those options is definitely off the table at this stage, and it is possible Evans will compete in more than one event.

The lack of hills in the road time trial works against Evans, who finished seventh in the mountain bike at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

All cycling events at the London Olympics will be held within two weeks of the Tour de France finishing. And there is a very strong chance that Evans will be asked to carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony.

Evans has made it known to friends he is desperate to defend his tour title and has been buoyed by the recent recruitment of two as-yet-unnamed cyclists to the BMC Racing Team.

It means he will have an even stronger team around him going into next year’s tour.

If he successfully defends his TDF title his legs will be in tip top shape to give the field a really good run for their money. AWESOME!

SOURCE: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cadel-evans-ma...