Cadel Evans to miss the Vuelta
2008-08-21 09:29
Belgium - Cadel Evans of Australia will miss the Spanish Vuelta because of an injury he picked up while celebrating his second place finish in last month's Tour de France.
The Silence-Lotto cycling team said Evans' knee injury was "more serious than expected" and he would not be able to compete in the Spanish race, which begins on Aug. 30.
"Surgery is not considered yet; however, healing and revalidation will require about six to eight weeks, so that Cadel's (participation in) top competition this year might be improbable," the team said in a statement late Wednesday.
Evans, 31, injured his knee after slipping at a party to celebrate his podium result in the Tour de France. He recovered sufficiently to take part in the Beijing Olympics, but came away without a medal, finishing 15th in the road race and fifth in the time-trial.
Silence-Lotto said Evans' place would be filed by Australian Road Race champion Matthew Lloyd.
- AP