Evans considering Tour Down Under return

Cadel Evans has significantly boosted Tour Down Under organisers' hopes of a dream
double act with Lance Armstrong this summer.
Evans on Thursday revealed a surprise return to the Australian road race after a
four-year absence was "highly possible" as he considers changing his strategy for
2010.
If the newly-crowned world road race champion signs on to start in Adelaide from
January 17, it would stand as a huge coup for the event and massive boost for the
sport.
A Cadel-Armstrong double ticket would assure the week-long Tour Down Under of
enormous publicity and large crowds.
Seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong's presence in this year's Tour Down Under
dramatically increased the world-wide profile of the season-opening race.
Evans indicated he and Silence Lotto team chiefs were currently in the final stages
of mapping out his 2010 campaign and would confirm his plans early next month.
The chance to parade the rainbow jersey, won by taking the world championship in
Switzerland last month, in his home country is a significant factor in the decision.
So too is starting his preparations earlier than previous years to focus on the Giro
d'Italia (May) and Tour de France (July), rather than Tour and later season races.
"I'd say it's highly possible at this point," Evans said from his Swiss base.
"It's something we're considering to be there but more for a presence in Australia
with the rainbow jersey.
"I'm just waiting, by the start of November I would have confirmed everything. I'm
just sorting out a few details with the team right now.
"It's not just a matter of turning up to the race it's planning the year and the
season and the goals and so on."
Evans admitted he was continually looking to shorten his season, but had a tough job
with the desire to return to Adelaide and also defend his world crown in Geelong in
October.
"I've always tried to do a shorter season but I don't have much choice," he said.
"I try to do a shorter season but with the Australian Tour Down Under next year and
people tend to forget there's also the world championships at the other end of the
season and in between that Giro Italia, Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
"It's a long and difficult season but there's a chance next year I might try and
hopefully concentrate my time on the first part of the year and come back for the
world champs."
A former winner, Evans last raced Australia's tour in 2005, his first year with Lotto.
Evans, who will return to Australia next Tuesday for a promotional book tour, said
his world championship success had only motivated him more to break through for
victory in France after finishing as runner-up in 2007 and 2008.
"It doesn't dilute my passion (for the Tour de France)," he said.
"Winning the world championships, it's kind of nice. You win it on one day and you
can wear a nice jersey for a year.
"But with the Tour de France you win on one day on the tour you might wear the
yellow one and then you have to defend it the next day and might even lose it.
"If anything it motivates me more to honour the jersey and race with it in the
biggest races in the world."
Evans felt changes to the French tour in 2010 would assist his main rival in
defending champion Alberto Contador and the renowned climbers.