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Evans to skip Tour Down Under

Paris - Tour de France champion Cadel Evans has ruled out competing at the Tour Down Under in January as he looks at aiming for world and Olympic glory as well as defending his coveted yellow jersey.

Evans, who became Australia's first world road race champion in 2009, made history in July by becoming Australia's maiden winner of the world's premier stage race.

Key to that plan was delaying his start to the 2011 season, allowing Evans to peak in July when he beat the Schleck brothers Andy and Frank to the top step of the podium in Paris.

With the courses of both the Olympics and world championships' road races also to his liking, Evans, who last rode the Tour Down Under in 2010, said he may delay the start to 2012 even further.

Claiming the Tour Down Under race was "not a good fit" for a Tour de France contender, he told Adelaide-based newspaper The Adverstiser: "I have a lot of expectations coming later in the season so anything that compromises my performance there, is not something I can consider.

"Don't get me wrong, I would love to test myself on the harder stage finishes in next year's Tour Down Under but I do have a lot of other 'tests' to pass in 2012.

"To repeat a season like my 2011 would be very good, although in 2012 with the Olympics and a suitable world championships course, the goals will be different."

The Olympic men's road race will be held early August in London while the world championships road race is on a hillier course in Limburg, the Netherlands, in late September.

Evans added: "We are still in a comprehensive planning phase right now, but looking at the calendar I am guessing I will be having a quieter start to 2012 than this year."

While a blow to organisers of the January 15-22 event, Evans said he would not rule out a social visit to the Tour Down Under.

"A social visit is always possible," he said.

"I hope to have my 2012 programme finalised by October 17, the official race calendar was only released last week.

"I also have some personal/family things going on that sometimes require me to be away from the world of cycling, (so) we'll see."

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