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Mike Tomalaris
Mike Tomalaris is SBS's cycling presenter, who has covered the Tour de France for 15 years. Mike is a keen cyclist himself, and covers a few hundred kilometres a week in a social weekend bunch ride. For cycling fans around Australia, Mike Tomalaris is cycling.
Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't
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Enlarge textUnable to attack his opponents nor satisfy his fans, Cadel Evans finds himself in a difficult situation, writes Mike Tomalaris.
Cadel Evans attempts to animate the Tour de France (Getty)
- 103 Comments | Join the discussion
Cadel Evans is often accused by the cycling tifosi and sections of the media of being timid and not attacking, but when he does, his attempts are quickly shut down by his opponents.
That's the predicament he finds himself in after a failed solo attack on the road to St Girons.
It was a brave move but one that was snuffed out upon the arrival of Fabian Cancellara, Thor Hushovd and others.
The volley of words Cancellara
shelled out at Evans was animated to say the least, and it's fair to
say he didn't hold back at expressing his views that Evans wasn't
welcomed in the breakaway as it would have sparked a reaction at the
front of the peloton from team Astana.
Evans never stood a chance!
What right do riders have to tell rivals to stay away from an attack if it means risking a possible stage win?
After all, there were no guarantees the Swiss and Olympic champion would have won the race.
As
it turned out Cancellara was never a chance given the sequence of events that
happened in the early stages of the long trek through the Pyrenees.
Despite his lower-than-expected-placing on the General Classification,
it's obvious Evans has earned the highest respect from his peers, but
as Dave McKenzie illustrated in the post-stage analysis, he was between
a rock and a hard place.
Maybe it's time too for the tifosi and media to give Evans a similar respect and understanding after witnessing the predicament he's in.
Given today's failed coup, I fear Evans
may have difficulty returning to the top 10, let alone reduce the three
minute deficit currently needed to catch the leaders.
There is no way the likes of Contador, Armstrong and Leipheimer will allow a quality rival like Evans such leeway - on that basis he must resort to trying to win a stage if at all possible.
Perhaps it's not the right time to ask, but what does he do to rectify his current situation at future Tours?
How does he attract the personnel required to support him?
As
he currently tries to fight his way back into contention, Evans must
start asserting his authority on Silence-Lotto's power brokers.
Evans must demand management find the desired riders needed to guide him to overall victory next year.
I
still have my hope Evans will continue the fight, but sadly with the
weak roster he has to work with, I fear that fight may be futile.
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Comments (103)
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14 Jul 2011 20:09 AEST
From: Zilzie Queensland
numbers and gears
im not good at computers,i,m trying to ask Phil Liggett,why there are no numbers in the tour that starts with a zero,why is that? also i once heard while watching a track carnival,i heard the term...He,s riding a 92 gear,what does that mean?and how is it worked out,im sure their are others who may think the same,great commentry to Phil and Paul,my wife loves Phil,s voice,and recons he can put his slippers under her side of the bed any day,i hope Phil gets this,unreal first mountain stage go CE
22 Jul 2009 22:24 AEST
From: SYDNEY
CADEL AND HIS TEAM
I've been watching the Tour over the last two days (recorded) and I haven't seen very much help for Cadel from his team . They are not there when he needs them. Forget this year Cadel and come back bigger and better. We are still behind you
17 Jul 2009 18:06 AEST
From: brisbane
Boring
The tour is boring. Bring back the mountain top finishes and bring back the time bonuses at the end of the stages. Over the next few years we are going to see the real contenders sit back and do nothing for the win until the 2nd last stage. With time bonuses the real contenders will have to come out and fight for stage wins to keep ahead instead of acting like a cat playing with a lame mouse. It also gives people like cadel some chance of getting some time back. Also the TTT does not show the true form of the GC rider. It only shows the form of the teams in the team classification. I dont know anybody who watches the tour for the team classification. Let it go and lets make the race about the GC.
15 Jul 2009 21:30 AEST
From: jan juc
Mike... please
social weekend bunch ride. For cycling fans around Australia, Mike Tomalaris is cycling. please take it easy! he is no phil liggett. where are our famous riders..who is keenan.god help us when liggett retires.
15 Jul 2009 19:59 AEST
From: Sydney
TTT and Cadel's loss
To all those that didn't agrre with my assessment of the 3rd stage and how the wind affected the race ans how Cadel should have been closer to the front... read Anthony Tans comments elsewhere... "Stage three to La Grande Motte wasn’t expected to be anything special, but the Camargue crosswinds and Columbia-HTC made the race so..." cheers GB
15 Jul 2009 19:54 AEST
From: Melbourne
Damend if he does,Damned if he doesn't
Nice to see you finally wake up to reality this year Mike. Last year you were so anti Cadel and one of his major media critics. The Peleton is NOT going to let Cadel get away and the constant harping for him to 'attack" is a waste of his energy and your credibility. Nice to hear you have come to that realization this year.
15 Jul 2009 11:13 AEST
From: gwandalan nsw
so over mark cavendish
is any one else so over the hype of mark cavendish? what about the over all standing of bradley wiggins!
15 Jul 2009 0:23 AEST
From: Brisbane
damned if he does...damed if he doesn't
I'd like Cadel to make another break again and if possible when there is no radio communication. Convince Andy and Carlos to work together with Cadel. Remind Fabian and Thor their advice didn't help and tey should stay at the back of the pelleton for a while and meet Cadel for a drink after the race...
14 Jul 2009 21:13 AEST
From: tasmania
ride the race cadel evans
ride the race as a champion you are go for it and be a winner the race is for all riders to attach and win
14 Jul 2009 21:04 AEST
From: tasmania
cadels breakaway
of all the aussies in other teams .why dont they all get together and get a aussie team and compete as one in the tour defrance and dont let other riders tell you how to ride your race . the race is for everyone to have a go , to stick up for each other
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Mike Tomalaris is SBS's cycling presenter, who has covered the Tour de France for 15 years. Mike is a keen cyclist himself, and covers a few hundred kilometres a week in a social weekend bunch ride. For cycling fans around Australia, Mike Tomalaris is cycling.
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