Cadel Evans Wins Stage One of Dauphine-Libere; Shows Tour Intentions

Only one week after the scintillating centennial edition of the Giro d'Italia—the second largest cycling race in the world—preparations are already underway for those who hope to contest well in the largest cycling race in the world, the Tour de France, in one month's time.

The Dauphine-Libere, a one-week stage race in France, is traditionally viewed as the dress rehearsal for the Tour de France.  Top Tour contenders have been either racing the Giro or training intensely, and are using this race as a way to compete head-to-head while honing their race form.

Top Tour contenders, such as Spaniard Alberto Contador (Astana) and Australian Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto), are using this race for such preparation.  Both have been intensely training during the last month while taking a long break from racing during that period. 

Other Tour contenders, such as Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer (Astana), Carlos Sastre (Cervelo), and Giro d'Italia winner Denis Menchov (Rabobank), are instead using this time to recover from their three-week-long effort in Italy and are not contesting this race.

The week-long Dauphine is intense.  In total, it features 54 kilometers of time-trialing, a 12-kilometer course today, followed by a more demanding 42-kilometer effort on Stage Four. 

In addition, it hits the mountains hard.  Historic peaks such as the Mont Ventoux, the Col d'Izoard, the Galibier, and the Croix de Fer will all be in the route.  Most of these mountains will also be in this year's Tour de France.

Today's Stage One of the Dauphine started with a 12-kilometer time trial around the city of Nancy.

Top riders were blazing through the technical course in around 15 to 16 minutes, setting the stage for the battle of the day, that between 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, 2007-2008 Tour runner-up Cadel Evans, and 2008 Dauphine winner Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne).

The three left the start house in that order, with Contador taking to the road ahead of Evans and Valverde.  Contador, riding a custom-painted Trek time-trial bike, took off with his recently-honed, time-trial form.  Evans quickly pursued him, and the Australian time-trial specialist eventually took over the lead on the road.

Evans won the day, stopping the clock eight seconds ahead of a charging Contador.  Defending champion Valverde came in third at 23 seconds behind.

Evans may be out to prove this year that he would like to do better than his two consecutive runner-up finishes at the Tour, and beating arch-rival Contador is a good indication of that.