Cadel beer injury...

Cadel Evans confirmed for Olympics start

Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans says he will compete at next month's Olympics, scotching rumours his Games bid was in doubt because of injury.

Speculation was rife in his native Australia that he might not be able to compete in Beijing after hurting his knee at a post-race party in Paris.

"It's just a rumour, that's all it is - I'm still going to Beijing," said Evans, who finished runner-up for a second straight year.

"Obviously I'm a bit tired."

Melbourne radio station SEN quoted a witness who claimed to have seen Evans "hobbling" at the party and who said the injury was to his medial ligament.

Evans apparently stumbled on a wet floor at his Silence-Lotto team's official function at the Hard Rock Cafe in Paris but did not fall over.

He was walking gingerly as a result of finishing the 3,559km Tour on Sunday.

"I've got a sore backside, but that's from 3,500km," Evans said.

He suffered a nasty crash on stage nine of the 21-stage Tour and said he was still feeling the effects when he crossed the finish line on the Champs Elysees.

But he planned to go for a training ride later on Monday and was confident of being fit in China.

"I actually think the riders who didn't do the Tour will find it harder in Beijing than the riders who did," he said.

Evans finished behind Spaniard Carlos Sastre of Team CSC on Sunday, a year after being runner-up to another Spanish rider, Alberto Contador.

The Australian is expected to join compatriots Stuart O'Grady, who was member of Sastre's winning Tour de France team, Simon Gerrans, who won stage 15 of this year's race, Michael Rogers and Matthew Lloyd for the Olympic men's road race on August 9.

Evans is also the favourite to contest the time trial four days later, although Rogers could take his place if his exertions at the Tour de France prove to have taken too big a toll.

iainf72 wrote:

Spotted limping badly after the Silence-Lotto party.

According to organiser Denis Bolle, the Australian cyclist sustained the problem at a rock and roll party put on by his team Silence-Lotto in a Parisian cafe on Sunday night to celebrate the end of the Tour.

"It shows a flagrant lack of respect," said Bolle, adding he had only been told of Evans' absence "a few hours before the criterium".

AndyRAC wrote:

Kléber wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Spotted limping badly after the Silence-Lotto party.

Probably because he had to do all the work. Prepare the food, take the orders, show guests to their tables, cook the dishes and mix drinks, all buy himself. Whilst Popo sat at the back drinking the beers.

Niice!!
What about the CSC party? Cancellara, O'Grady and Voigt giving it loads doing all the work, then the Schlecks and Sastre turn up and join in.