PERPIGNAN, France, July 8, 2009 (AFP) – Cadel Evans admitted Wednesday he is still getting used to being so far behind in the race for the Tour de France yellow jersey before the race’s crucial mountains stages have even started.

Australia’s two-time runner-up stayed out of trouble on Wednesday’s tricky and wind-hit stage from Cap d’Agde to Perpignan, in which Silence teammate Matthew Lloyd escaped, unhurt, from a spill mid-race.

Evans now goes into Thursday’s sixth stage from Gerona to Barecelona in Spain 2min 59sec down on race leader Fabian Cancellara and second-placed Lance Armstrong.

But despite his significant deficit to key rivals ahead of three days in the Pyrenees mountains, beginning Friday, Evans says the Tour is far from over.

“I’ve never been in this position at the Tour de France ahead of the mountains stages, so we’ll see what happens,” said Evans, who finished runner-up in both 2007 and 2008.

“But I’m feeling good. The Tour is not over for me yet.”

The Australian admitted nevertheless that another windy day of racing, in which accelerations from Astana, Saxo Bank and Columbia made it an uncomfortable for some, had tested him yet again.

On stage three, a turn of pace by Columbia dropped Evans and many favourites behind, while benefiting Armstrong, who on the day up seven places to third overall, by 41secs.

“It was a horrible day,” added Evans referring to Wednesday’s stage.

“There were a lot of narrow roads, a lot of people and shouting and we had to stay really concentrated all day.

“I’m happy I’m still here.”

Lloyd said later: “I don’t know how I crashed. The roads were narrow, but that’s racing and that’s the Tour.

“But I’m okay, I feel 100 percent.”