The team leader usually gets the first number in the team's allotment. BMC Racing has some cool carbon fiber number hangers but mechanics zip tie them to the seat tube to keep them from dropping down onto the tire.
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MUR-DE-BRETAGNE, France (VN) —Cadel Evans has been second in the Tour de France on two occasions. This year he comes to the race with fewer racing miles in his legs, but fresher than ever before. With a strong team that includes 16-time Tour de France participant George Hincapie, Evans has the support he’ll need in his search for the top step of the podium in Paris.
His BMC teammachine SLR01 is a fairly straightforward bicycle. No flash custom paint job. No custom geometry. The only slightly unique item on the bike is the Easton handlebar. It is a shallow drop, round bar that was previously made by Easton for the track. Team mechanics asked their sponsor to dig up several pair for Evans and Easton did so for the team’s best GC hope.
The team leader usually gets the first number in the team’s allotment. BMC Racing has some cool carbon fiber number hangers but mechanics zip tie them to the seat tube to keep them from dropping down onto the tire.
BMC puts its Di2 battery under the down tube. It’s a testament to its weatherproofness that even when it’s directly in line with the spray from the front wheel that the system doesn’t have any issues. Evans uses an SRM crank, the older 7800 version, with 172.5mm arms.
Shimano’s blue brake pads are extremely popular among pro riders. Easton sends its own pads with its wheels, but BMC swaps them out in favor of the more aggressive Shimano pad.
Evans likes a round-drop handlebar. Easton no longer makes one, but it used to make this shallow drop track handlebar. Team mechanics had Easton dig up some 42cm bars for use on Evans’ bike.
There are several riders on BMC’s Impec at the Tour, but Evans rides a teammachine SLR01.
Just as you would expect on a Swiss bicycle, everything is well thought out. The internal routing is very clean. Evans had on an 11×23 cassette at the start of stage 3.
Evans rides a fi’zi:k Antares with carbon rails. It is the least popular of fi’zi:k’s models among the pros with the Arione leading the charge. His seat height is 73.2cm.
Cadel Evans has been close on many occasions, but finally took his first road stage victory on the Mur-de-Bretagne stage four finish. (He has a 2007 TdF time trial victory to his name after Vinokourov tested positive the day after his win)
The Australian is in possibly his best position ever to win the Tour de France this year. His BMC is certainly up to the task. A few details: saddle height-73.2cm, reach saddle nose to bar ctr.-58cm, stem-13cm, bar-42cm, crankarm-172.5, Speedplay pedals with short spindles.
George Hincapie is starting his 16th Tour de France, equalling the record of Joop Zoetemelk. He’ll be a huge help to Cadel Evans as he showed in the final kilometers of stage 4.
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