Evans hopes to avoid knee reconstruction

Evansleaves Australia on Monday to prepare for the new season, with the Tourde France his No.1 goal after finishing second for the last two years.

The night the Tour finished last year, Evans was celebrating with his team-mates and slipped on a wet floor.

Despite some rumours to the contrary, Evans said he was not drunk.

Heruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees, an injurythat would mean an immediate reconstruction and up to nine months ofrehabilitation for a footballer.

Evans rode with the injury at the Olympics, making the top 10 in the time trial.

"Yeah, people have forgotten about that one - I haven't forgotten about it," Evans said of the injury.

"I've been having physio, I had my last session at Geelong the other day, I've been working with the medical team there.

"I didn't have any problem, I didn't have any pain, but I just wanted to be 110 per cent sure I'd done everything I could."

Evanscontacted Geelong through the Cats' assistant coach Brendan McCartneyand has worked with the club's head of fitness, Paul Haines.

The cycling star is confident he will never need a reconstruction, at least while he is a professional rider.

"That's one thing that's progressed really well this summer, I'm happy about that," he said.

"I'mnot going to go out and play AFL, that's for sure, but in terms of nothaving an ACL, I've made a very good recovery, I'd say.

"I'm at risk if I play soccer or ride with a 50kg pack on my back, which I don't do anyway."

Evans lives at Barwon Heads, near Geelong, during the off-season and cannot speak highly enough of the Cats.

He also has talked to Geelong captain Tom Harley about team building and will take some ideas to his Silence-Lotto squad.

"There are so many things that are common, whether it's a newspaper, a football team or a cycling team," Evans said.

"Havingknown all the guys and doing some training with them, it was a reallypleasant surprise how down-to-earth and genuine they all are.

"I'm a fervent Cats fans now."

Evans is in Adelaide for Saturday night's Legends Dinner, where he will be a guest of honour along with Lance Armstrong.

Thedinner is associated with the Tour Down Under, which Evans does notride, only because it does not fit well into his Tour de France buildup.