Written by: Justin Davis

CHATEAUROUX, France, July 9, 2011 (AFP) – Riding as close to the front of
the Tour de France peloton paid dividends once more for Cadel Evans on Friday
as the Australian saw fellow yellow jersey challenger Bradley Wiggins crash
out.

Wiggins finished fourth overall in 2009 and, after his recent victory in
the Criterium du Dauphine, was considered a strong challenger to reigning
champion Alberto Contador and Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck.

But as the peloton chased down a five-man breakaway around 40km from the
finish line in Chateauroux, around a dozen riders hit the tarmac and Wiggins
came off worst, breaking his collarbone.

“Today it all went pear-shaped,” lamented Team Sky sports director Sean
Yates.

“For Bradley it’s mega-disappointing. He’s based his whole year on this.”

Another Briton, Mark Cavendish, went on to win the stage with a powerful
finish that handed the Isle of Man sprinter his 17th victory in only four
participations.

But despite his HTC-Highroad team, including Tasmanian Matt Goss, giving a
sprint train master class to the rest of the peloton, much of the focus was on
spills, and not thrills.

As well as Wiggins, fellow podium hopefuls Levi Leipheimer and Ryder
Hesjedal came down. Although they finished the stage both dropped well down
the standings.

With no major time trials thus far separating the contenders for the yellow
jersey, their teams have been extra vigilant, and nervous, as they try not to
concede time before key mountain stages — as Contador did when he crashed on
stage one.

Leipheimer said it was a direct result of race organizers’ decision to mix
up the first week’s stages in a bid to provide entertainment.

“It’s just been a really nervous first week. A lot of technical important
finishes with the uphill finishes and that makes the position (of the riders)
that much more critical,” said Leipheimer.

“There hasn’t been anything to separate the GC (general classification),
like a long time trial. I think it’s kept everyone very nervous.

“Unfortunately the race is being decided by crashes. Of course, crashes are
part of the sport but I don’t think it’s right to have it to this degree.”

Some, however, believe the chaos is all part of trying to conquer the
world’s biggest bike race.

Jonathan Vaughters, who saw Canadian Hesjedal caught up in the crash and
lose over three minutes, rejected claims the first week was too tough.

“No, to me I don’t think so,” he said.

“I think every year you always have two or three real bike crashes in the
first week of the Tour and this year is no exception.”

John Lelangue, who manages Evans’s BMC team, echoed those thoughts.

However the Belgian, who last year saw his Australian protege ride to 20th
place in Paris in spite of a fractured elbow suffered in a crash early in the
race, knows there’s a long way to go.

“We know chaos can happen,” Lelangue said.

“The wind was there so we we told the guys in the morning briefing to be
really cautious.

“Crashes are part of the Tour de France, unfortunately, and we have to be
ready for them. Therefore, we are making the race at the front.”

In almost uncanny fashion, Evans — a two-time runner-up who has had his
share of injury mishap on the race — has been kept safe all week by BMC.

However the interesting part of the race is just starting, with this
weekend’s stages in the hilly Massif Central set to shake up the general
classification further.

“I think tomorrow and Sunday are two difficult finishes,” Lelangue said,
referring to Saturday’s finishing ascent to the Super-Besse ski resort.

“The real story will come once we hit the Pyrenees. But our team is really
doing well. The guys are doing a great job to always be at the front.”