Australia qualified for two places at the men's Olympic time trial. On 26 June, the authorities named Cadel Evans in both the road and the time trial team. When the team was announced Matt White said “this has been one of the most difficult team selections in Australia’s cycling history because we really have enough talent to field two teams of Olympic standard.”
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| Cadel Evans prior to Stage 20 Start - 2011 TDF |
Unfortunately for Australia, we woke up to the news that Cadel Evans had pulled out of the time trial citing fatigue after a heavy schedule. Six days after finishing the Tour De France, Evans competed in the 250km Olympic men’s road race. He was then expected to back up and perform in the time trial four days later.
The question I have of the selectors, is did they chose the wrong person? Did the selectors place too much weight on his 2011 Tour de France win rather than selecting a rider with better TT form?
I believe the selection of Cadel Evans was the wrong decision. A decision that could cost us a medal. A better selection for the time trial would have been Richie Porte or Luke 'Turbo Durbo' Durbridge'.
For starters, Evans did not ride in the Australian National Championships. This was important as under the selection policies of Cycling Australia (CA) - "Athletes seeking nomination to the 2012 Australian Olympic Team must compete in the 2012 Australian Championships for their relevant discipline". Although, I suspect that the Cycling Australia gave Evans an exemption from this requirement, which is permitted under CA's rules. Was that the first error?
Politics of the selection requirements aside, Evans' recent performance in time trial events has been well below his best. I would even argue that he was well below Olympic selection. In the 2012 Tour de France, Evans came 13th in the prologue, 6th in Stage ITT and 52nd during Stage 19 TT. Even in the Criterium Du Dauphine Evans finished a disappointing 8th in Stage 4 ITT and nineth in the prologue. His form did not should not have guaranteed Evans one of Australia's two best time trialists.
Media reports suggest that if Evans had pulled of the time trial before that road race on Saturday, the Australian Olympic Committee may have been able to draft in Richie Porte to ride in the TT. Porte was running into form. He came fifth in the Stage 19 ITT at the Tour de France. Evans should have known before the road race that we was feeling tired. He struggled on some of the mountain climbs of the Tour de France to the point that his young team mate was able to race away. He was sick with a stomach virus. These all pointed to Evans not being in the best form of his career.
It would have been tough for the CA selectors to withdraw Evans before the road race from a discipline that he obviously loves.
I believe that the authorities should have made the right decision back when they announced the squad.
They should have announced Luke Durbridge as Australia's second competitor. He is the reigning u23 World TT Champion. He is the Australian national TT champion. He has time trial form. He won the time trial at the Circuit de la Sarthe, he won the prologue at the Criterium du Dauphine (ahead of Bradley Wiggins) and he came 7th in Stage 4 ITT ahead of Evans. He has been compared with the greats such as Fabian Cancellera and Bradley Wiggins. While Durbridge may not have won a medal, it would have given his olympic experience before Brazil in 2016.
There has been little media attention regarding the selection of Evans in the time trial. All the media reports have focused on him pulling out of the time trial for fatigue. May be CA was have a review after the Olympics have finished. If they do, I hope that make the review outcomes public.
Time to sign off and watch the Olympic time trial. While I watch Michael Rogers, I will be reflecting on 'what if turbo durbo' was selected' and 'would he have won a medal'.
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| Picture from ABC website |
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