Evans and BMC out-gunned by Sky in the mountains

Cadel Evans, Tour de France 2012, stage three

BMC Racing was without a helper for Cadel Evans in the final climb to the finish yesterday in the Tour de France. Sky at one point, out-numbered the defending champion four to one going up La Planche des Belles Filles.

"We don't have the climbers that some of the other teams have," Jim Ochowicz told Cycling Weekly, "but we have strong bike riders here, who know what they're doing."

Tejay Van Garderen was the last rider with Evans, but lost ground to the leaders with four kilometres to climb to the finish. In addition to losing three minutes, he lost the young leader's white jersey.

The American held the white jersey since day one, when he placed fourth in the prologue time trial in Liège, Belgium. The efforts to protect the jersey may have cost him, according to Evans.

"Tejay expended a lot of energy in the first week and he paid for that on the first climb yesterday," Evans said outside the team bus to about five reporters.

He added that there was not much he could do yesterday, given Sky employed Mick Rogers, Richie Porte and Chris Froome to protect Brad Wiggins.

Evans tried to attack in the final 500m for the stage win and crucial seconds, but saw Froome pass by. Froome took the stage win, Wiggins took the race leader's yellow jersey from Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan).

"You want to take seconds when you can, but when I'm solo and they're in three, there's not much I can do," Evans said. "Yesterday's finish had flat sections, where they can come back with their numbers even if you are riding better."

Ochowicz hopes that his mountain men - Van Garderen, Amaël Moinard and Steve Cummings - will improve with time.

"OK, some of their [Sky's] guys are just better climbers naturally. I'm not going to pretend that we have another rider that compares with Froome. We've got Cadel," Ochowicz continued.

"We're healthy. I think you'll see more of our people get their climbing legs. They can go up hills, they're not going to be racing to the finish line, but they're going to be in those climbs and doing their jobs."

Tour de France 2012: Latest news

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Stage seven video preview

The Feed Zone: Tour news round-up (July 5)

Celebrating the Tour's lead-out men

Liquigas's yellow and green jersey aim at Tour

Brailsford: Sky on the front for Cav and Wiggins

Tour de France 2012: Teams, riders, start list

Tour 2012: Who will win?

Tour de France 2012 provisional start list

Tour de France 2012 team list

Tour de France 2012: Stage reports

Stage seven: Wiggins takes yellow as Froome wins stage

Stage six: Sagan wins third Tour stage

Stage five: Greipel wins again as Cavendish fades

Stage four: Greipel wins stage after Cavendish crashes

Stage three: Sagan runs away with it in Boulogne

Stage two: Cavendish takes 21st Tour stage victory

Stage one: Sagan wins at first attempt

Prologue: Cancellara wins, Wiggins second

Tour de France 2012: Comment, analysis, blogs

Analysis: How much time could Wiggins gain in Tour's time trials

CW's Tour de France podcasts

Blog: Tour presentation - chasing dreams and autographs

Comment: Cavendish the climber

Tour de France 2012: Photo galleries

Stage seven by Graham Watson

Stage six by Graham Watson

Stage five by Graham Watson

Stage four by Graham Watson

Stage three by Graham Watson

Stage two by Andy Jones

Stage two by Graham Watson

Stage one by Graham Watson

Prologue photo gallery by Andy Jones

Prologue photo gallery by Roo Rowler

Prologue photo gallery by Graham Watson

Tour de France 2012: Team presentation

Sky and Rabobank Tour de France recce

Tour de France 2012: Live text coverage

Stage six live coverage

Stage five live coverage

Stage four live coverage

Stage three live coverage

Cycling Weekly's live text coverage schedule

Tour de France 2012: TV schedule

ITV4 live schedule

British Eurosport live schedule

Tour de France 2012: Related links

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

Brief history of the Tour de France

Tour de France 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

1989: The Greatest Tour de France ever

 

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