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Milan - Former world road cycling champion Cadel Evans will skip this year's Giro d'Italia to focus on the Tour de France.
The Australian finished fifth in the 2010 Giro, but says his efforts in Italy drained him for the Tour, in which he finished 26th.
"For this reason, this year I am putting it all on the Tour," Evans told the Gazzetta dello Sport. "Believe me I am very sorry to miss the Giro, but for me and the team this opportunity is too important.
"After the Giro last year I took too long to recover, plus I rode the last 12 stages in France with a fractured elbow."
Evans is still likely to compete in a number of warm-up races, including the Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands and the Fleche Wallonne in Belgium.
"I am pretty certain I will be there for the Amstel and Fleche Wallonne," he said. "I'm not so sure about Liege though."
Ivan Basso of Italy won the 2010 Giro d'Italia and the 34-year-old Evans sees no reason why he cannot make a successful defense of the pink jersey.
"There are many that are already riding well, but Ivan is going fantastically," Evans said. "I don't think I'm at the level to compete with him, but for the Tirreno-Adriatico (which starts next Wednesday) I would like to be pushing him and among the leading group."
