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Cadel Evans assesses his chances after the opening time trial

By Justin Davis, AFP
Published: Jul. 4, 2009

Australian Cadel Evans was given cause for both optimism and alarm after the opening stage of the Tour de France Saturday that left some of his potential yellow jersey rivals in the race's driving seat.

Evans finished fifth in a technically-demanding time trial won by Swiss Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara, who rides with Stuart O'Grady at the Saxo
Bank team.

But arguably the most notable result was enjoyed by the Astana team of 2007 champion Alberto Contador and seven-time winner Lance Armstrong. The Kazakh-backed outfit placed four riders in the top ten.

Contador finished second to Cancellara but only 18 seconds adrift, while
two-time runner-up Evans stayed in touch with a promising fifth place finish
at 23 seconds behind the Swiss.

Some other Tour contenders, such as Denis Menchov of Russia and defending
champion Carlos Sastre, finished over a minute in arrears.

Although only the first skirmish in a battle that will really only get nasty in the mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, Evans has already been given plenty of food for thought.

With four riders in the top ten - Contador, fourth-placed Andreas Kloden,
sixth-placed Levi Leipheimer and Armstrong, who was 10th - Astana has already
thrown down the gauntlet.

Evans was disappointed at coming fifth, but it could have been worse. And, as he said, there is still a long way to go.

"It's not bad, but it could be better," he said.

"I still have to look at the results and make a bit of an assessment, but I
was beaten by four guys (on the stage). I didn't win so obviously I wasn't the
best here but there's a long way to go yet.

"I'm on track. Not right there, but I'm on track."