McEwen sees Evans rival striking first Tour blow

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

BREST, France (AFP) — In terms of team bonding, Aussie sprinter Robbie McEwen has done little to curry favour with team-mate Cadel Evans ahead of the Tour de France opener here Saturday.

But given the bigger prize on offer at the end of the three-week race, Evans is likely to forgive McEwen for picking his yellow jersey rival Alejandro Valverde of Spain as the man who could land the first blow in the race.

For the first time since 1967, the Tour will not feature a prologue time trial, usually held under the distance of 8km on the opening stage.

Organisers have instead concocted a 197.5km ride from here to Plumelec over undulating terrain which features a technical finish and ends on a "very difficult climb", in the words of McEwen.

Valverde is the...