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Cadels Evans isn’t going to be Down Under

Cadel Evans, the Tour de France champion, has been confirmed as a non-starter for the Tour Down Under taking place in January.

Leading BMC’s seven-man team for the race scheduled from January 15-22 will be world champion Alessandro Ballan from Italy.

Representing the Adelaide-based event will be South Australian Tim Roe as part of the team.

Last year, Evans was among the standout riders in the Tour, but this year he chose to skip the event due to its early placement in the racing calendar.

He made history as the first Australian winner of the Tour de France.

In the upcoming year, Evans is set to follow a similar schedule as he prepares for his main objectives in 2012 – defending his Tour title in July, competing in the road race at the London Olympics, and aiming for the world road titles in the Netherlands.

The remaining BMC cyclists participating in the Tour Down Under include Greg Van Avermaet, Adam Blythe, Marcus Burghardt, Martin Kohler, and Manuel Quinziato.

In related news, reports suggest that Australian Heinrich Haussler is expected to lead the Garmin-Cervelo team at the Adelaide event.

Garmin performed exceptionally as a unit this year, with Australian Cameron Meyer achieving an unexpected overall victory.

However, following the final stage, there was a dramatic move as team boss Jonathan Vaughters dismissed Australian director Matt White.

Meyer, along with several other Australian riders, has since departed Garmin to join the new GreenEDGE team.

Rising Australian star Nathan Haas, who recently clinched victory in the Herald Sun Tour, has signed with Garmin and is set to make his debut in a WorldTour race as part of their lineup.

by Buford Balony

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