Evans faces his steepest climb

Cyclist Cadel Evans in action in Italy. This year he's aiming to win the Tour de France. Source: AdelaideNow

He has a new plan and new teammates but an 88-year record stands in his way. The clock is ticking for Evans.

He turned 34 on Valentine's Day but remains Australia's greatest hope in the world's greatest cycling race.

This year he is being nursed to the start line - given the lightest race program since he turned pro in 2001.

By the time he starts the Tour at Passage du Gois on July 2 he will have just 32-35 racing days behind him for the season.

But that doesn't mean he'll also pack the pipe and slippers and be in bed by 7pm.

BMC Racing Team directeur sportif John Lelangue said he would give the same early-season program to any rider trying to win the Tour.

"I would do the same for a guy if he was 28," Lelangue told The Advertiser .

"The start of the season is a really light program so he's fresh when he gets to the Tour de France.

"The most important thing is he comes to the Tour de France with a lot of energy."

If Evans is to win the Tour after finishing second in 2007 and 2008 he'll have to beat more than superstars Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck.

He'll have to beat the odds.

He will need to become the oldest winner since Frenchman Henri Pelissier who was 34 and six months in 1923, to leave with the yellow jersey.

The oldest ever winner was Belgian rider Firmin Lambot who was 36 when he saluted in 1923, while the oldest winners in the past decade were Carlos Sastre (2008) and Lance Armstrong (2005), both 33.

Lelangue is adamant age does not hinder Evans who became world champion in 2009. "Cadel is always motivated and in perfect shape, so expect to see him at this level for a couple of years," he said.

"He's like a good bottle of wine."

In reality, Evans was always going to struggle to win the Tour last year, even before he crashed and broke his left elbow in the first week.

He spent a lot of energy early in the season for two important but ultimately costly reasons.

The first was he'd just become world champion and felt compelled to wear the rainbow jersey as often as he could, especially in his backyard at the Tour Down Under in January.

There he was involved in the greatest stage of the Tour's 13-year history with an aggressive attack up the notorious Willunga Hill.

Then he fronted for the Giro d'Italia in May, which according to Lelangue was to help ensure BMC - a Pro Continental team in 2010 - would earn a start in the Tour de France.

This year will be completely different, although Evans is still expected to ride two Grand Tours with the Vuelta a Espana also on his program.

He trained with the team in January and spent this month training from his home in Switzerland.

Lelangue speaks with him every second day and last week reported "everything is under control".

Evans starts his 2011 season at the Giro di Friuli - a one-day race in Italy on Thursday, March 3.

That will be followed by a host of small stage races including the Tour de Catalunya and Tour de Romandie.

He will then train at altitude in May and have his final tune-up at the Dauphine Libere in June.

In total, Evans has no more than five weeks of racing before the Tour.

"We have full confidence in Cadel, we know why we took him (from Silence-Lotto in 2010)," Lelangue said.

A new program isn't the only thing driving Evans to this year's Tour, it's also a new-look team.

BMC was busy in the off-season, signing Amael Moinard (Cofidis) and Ivan Santaromita (Liquigas) to help Evans in the mountains and Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) and Greg Van Avermaet (Omega) to control the peloton and team time trials.

Lelangue has promised Evans will "always be surrounded by a really strong team" and Evans is particularly buoyed by Santaromita's arrival.

"I have to say, when after his first meeting as team-mates, he calls the director and asked to be put on the Tour team, it gives me a great sense of belief and reassurance," Evans wrote on his website.

American veteran George Hincapie described the new BMC as one of the best Classics teams he'd ever been part of.

"Then (after Classics season) all my focus will go into helping Cadel at least make the podium of the Tour de France," Hincapie told SBS.

"I think Cadel has a great shot this year.

"Last year he was fit from January to October. I'm excited to see him start up a bit later this year and really focusing on the Tour de France which will allow him to arrive fresh and 100 per cent fit."

If it's now or never for Evans, the master plan to become the first Australian to win the Tour de France begins next Thursday.