Evan's behaviour has been weird to say the least. He has always been known to be a bit eccentric and that is fine but the pressure is obviously getting to him. Many commentators seemed to believe that after the results of last year, the Tour 08 was Evan's to lose simply because of his consistency and good time trial ability. He always loses time on one mountain stage but it is never too much. He lost the Tour last year simply by not closing a gap he could have closed and it's good to see that this year he has shown more confidence and aggression.

Unless CSC and their new ally (I will never win the tour) Valverde, pull a rabbit out of a hat before the time trial stage, I believe that Evan's has to fall off to lose the race. Even last year, Contador was a much better time trialler than Sastre. Unless Menchov rides the time trial of his life and Evan's has a bad day, I think Evan's will win. Also is his favour, he is starting behind Van De Velde and Menchov and he will know whether Menchov is doing a Leipheimer type ride or not. if Sastre loses the Tour I am convinced that Andy Schleck will be the team leader in next year's Tour for CSC.

He is a bit funny isn't he? He seems to be a quite private sort of a guy, who just wants to ride his bike and ride it fast and well. Unfortuntately, when you're the favourite in the biggest annual sporting event with all the media attention and money - this just doesn't work apparently. Well perhaps it should, but on top of being fanastic sportspeople - we also seem to expect that they are intelligent, charismatic, funny, politically correct and want to save the world - Miss World style.

I think the more he gets a bit of stick from the media about not being charistmatic and an entertaining rider, the more he goes into his shell and tries to ignore all the comments and focus on his riding. The bodygaurd does seem a little (ok, alot) over the top.

The disappointing thing, is that Sastre hasn't exactly been out the front of groups and climbs, regularly pushing and attacking - he seems to have been content to sit behind the Schlecks and conserve his energy, until he exploded yesterday. It seems that the media have been giving Carlos an easier ride than Cadel and now that he went crazy on Alpe, he is the darling.

Whilst we love our sports stars to be 'Superman', it is worthwhile remembering that they are paid to win - Cadel rides the way he knows that will give him the best chance of winning and hence repaying the faith his team and sponsors have put in him - can he be a bit more open and friendly - ok, yes. Imagine if he decided to go for an all out attack on a given climb, cracked and fell along way back in the GC - I'm sure his bosses would not be too happy.

The Tour is about riding 3500 of the toughest kilometres and doing it faster than anyone else - not winning a popularity contest/beauty pagent.

If he does have the yellow jersey on his back as he is riding up the Champs Elysee on Sunday it will be thoroughly deserved, especially after being 'beaten up' by CSC for over 2 weeks.

I completely disagree with the editor Daniel on this one.. you have tried to make an article that puts evans down without regarding what he has had to deal with on the tour. If I had a shoulder that was about to fall off and someone was grabbing at it, i would do the same thing as evans. I guess the editor here is media and it is typical that he sticks up for media.. this happens all the time and I'm sick of it. Media just care about each other and no one else. What you fail to do is put yourself in Evans shoes.. he has been in severe pain after the crash.. He has a lot of pressure to win the tour and is rightly grumpy about the situation he is in with other teams like CSC ganging up on him and trying to put him out. In future Daniel, cut Evans some slack and put yourself in his shoes.. then maybe you will be part of the media that us readers will respect.

So Evans has a low tolerance threshold for jerks in the media and strangers who try to grab him (especially in an area where he was nursing an injury). So I guess that makes him.... just like the rest of us. I can't think of anyone who would graciously react to some of the garbage these athletes have to put up with - especially at the end of a long day in the saddle. But to then say that he's "lost it" is somewhat of an overstatement.

Get over yourself - if the media wants respect it has to earn it, just like everyone else. But if you put your fingers in the cage to provoke a response don't start crying if you get bitten.

So rather why not write about the reasons why you don't like Cadel. Did he snub you at a press conference or something? Ignore your questions? Is it his high pitched voice? Or that he rides faster than you (is that a reason to discredit him?). If you're going to make it personal, at least put the facts on the table and let the readers decide, rather than manufacture some crappy tabloid-esque article.

I'll admit that I'm an Evans fan. I like him even more now for standing up for himself. A genuine champion!

BTW - Materazzi is a dirty cheat and Zidane a legend for dishing out some old fashioned justice. Solid!

I think this behaviour just shows that he is an idiot not a professional....he wouldn't like it if the media ignored him now would he?

Gee - just imagine if I fell of my bike and scraped a bunch of skin off my shoulder. Then imagine a journo knew that and thought it would be fun to tap that painful part of my body to get a reaction. (wouldn't that make you a hero in the press room!) What a surprise that you get a reaction. Strikes me that the petulant media people found a way to get a reaction.

It was not a good look for Evans, but I think the media look a lot worse.

Daniel - wonder how you would react to the same situation? Would you care to make a public post about your grace under pressure. I doubt I will ever meet you and I hope that you never have to deal with painful injuries and a hostile, pushy media. At least the public will know whether you will hold yourself to the same standards as you hold Evans.

And another thing - who was the jerk who thought it would be fun to play with Cadel's injury in such an 'amusing way' - perhaps there is a story there - or don't the media report on media? Not really a good way to keep in good stead with your friends.