Australian Tour de France favourite Cadel Evans is ideally placed for the mountains to come by producing a startling performance in the stage four 29.5km time trial at Cholet.Since the 2008 Tour route was unveiled last October in Paris, it was felt that the shorter distance of the stage - rather than a customary 50km-plus - would disadvantage Evans.
But among the overall contenders for the Tour, Evans was the rider who profited best.
Evans' fourth place at 27 seconds to German stage winner and new race leader Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) has moved him up from ninth overall to fourth at 21 seconds.
Behind were Russian Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Spain's Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) and Carlos Sastre (CSC) and Luxembourg's Andy and Frank Schlech (CSC).
Schumacher was the biggest winner though, even if he is not considered a Tour winner.
Content Courtsey: http://www.theage.com.au/news/tourdefrance
