Tirreno Adriatico vs Evans and Goss

Cadel Evans and Matt Goss may have completely different objectives for 2013 but “the race between the two seas” could play a big part in how their year unfolds.

Two years ago, Evans opened his season in this race, picking up a stage win on his way to claiming the “Sea Master” title with an 11 second victory over Robert Gesink. And we all know how that season climaxed.

Last year Goss ditched Paris-Nice for the better weather of Tirreno. He enjoyed the race lead for the first four stages as he prepared to defend his dramatically won Milan San Remo title from 2011.

In 2013, the Tirreno course looks set to shape the seasons of both riders once again.

Evans will be glad that the parcours are similar to previous years.

There’s the Teams Time Trial at the beginning and an ITT at the end and minimal flat stages.

Stage two has early climb and flat finish while Stage three has a lumpy finish and Stage Four ends up a hill. There are two major climbs in Stage Five with a small uphill finish. Stage Six looks like the back of a saw.

Evans already has two races under his belt this season. An impressive third overall at the spectacular Tour of Oman followed by a solid 28th on the dusty, white roads of the stunning Strade Bianchi.

Evans never really says too much but appears to be in a good place after an illness-plagued 2012.

“Strade Bianche was a good indication for me, though I didn’t make the final in the front group. We’ll see how the team time trial goes and then we’ll take it from there,” he told Cyclingnews.com

The Tour of Oman appeared a good indication too as Cadel featured in the major moments of the race but just couldn’t go with Alberto Contador (who had the Tour de San Luis under his belt) and Chris Froome, who was, well, Chris Froome.

Goss seems similarly optimistic, despite struggling to gain any real momentum so far in 2013. Fine-tuning issues with his Orica Green Edge train prevented him from winning at the Tour Down Under and Tour of Oman. And a not so well timed blizzard put an end to any designs he had on the GP Lugano

That might be the biggest, and latest problem Goss faces, he hasn’t raced since Oman, which finished on February 16.

Given that, you’d figure that a longer race like Paris-Nice might suit Goss better as a lead up to MSR, but he told Cyclingnews.com that Tirreno-Adriatico will be fine.

“If you race Paris-Nice, you finish on the Sunday and then you’ve got a week so you have to find a couple of days to do some really good rides and this time of year, the weather can be a bit average.

“With Tirreno you race, recover and then race on the weekend so it’s a better gap.”

Orica-GreenEDGE will also have fond memories of Tirreno 2012, after picking up a win in the opening TTT.

And given the troubles Orica continues to have with its train – Leigh Howard’s eighth in Paris-Nice Stage One can be attributed to a train “timing” issue—another opportunity to perfect team mechanics has to be grasped.

Evans’ last race was on Saturday at the Strade Bianchi which was a windy affair.

Cadel blogged that the wind almost blew him over on the loose gravel, so he was pleased to get through unscathed.

“I need a few more days of racing before I can move with the explosive rhythm that the front runners rode today. No stress, a very good day’s test – legs and equipment for later in the season. Next stop, a bit more my thing; Tirreno-Adriatico!”

At the start of the season, I was thinking that a 36 year-old Evans may no longer have the legs to go with the top guys. But watching him at Oman, and knowing he hasn’t got any illnesses lurking like we saw last year, the vibe on a great Tirreno Adriatico by him is strong.

As for Goss, well I’d love to share his optimism, but right now, the racing gods don’t seem to be on his side.