Even though Cadel Evans, once extremely effective against the clock, hasn’t shown any signs of his once impressive skills since more than two seasons, his current disposition placed him as one of the biggest favorites to take an advantage of today’s long individual time trial from Barbaresco to Barolo.

After a virus infection has spoiled performances of the 37-year old Australian last two seasons, Evens eventually seems to be back to his best. His performance against the clock is still a huge question mark, but both the Giro d’Italia leader and the BMC sports director Valerio Piva agree that the course of first real test for general classification contenders suit him down to the ground.

“Cadel’s the best on paper out of the GC riders. He’s a specialist,” Evans’ sports director at BMC, Valerio Piva said. “But rivals like Nairo Quintana should be able to defend themselves well given the climbs.”

“It’s long, it’s not easy. We’ll see big differences,” Piva said. “The time trial suits powerful guys, the first climb is steady with good roads. It’s not a steep, steep climb. It’s a good time trial for Evans.”

Even though the most improved time trial specialist in recent months, Adriano Malori (Movistar) ruled himself out as a favorite to excel on today’s course, claiming it’s too long and hilly to suit his characteristics, only his crash on Tuesday’s stage prevented us from picking the Italian as out favorite.

“The course is very hard and not too much for me,” Malori said. “I can ride a good time trial, but the 20 kilometres of climbing is too much and I can lose a lot.”

To make things even more exciting, it’s even harder to decide what to expect from Evans’ closest contender in general classification, Rigoberto Uran (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), heading into tomorrow’s long time trial. Even though the 27-year old Colombian was usually able to limit his losses racing against the clock when it really mattered, he never excelled in that discipline.. until his last appearance before the Giro at the Tour de Romandie.

Considering that the condition of Omega Pharma-Quick Step leader is constantly increasing and his team-mates claim that he negotiates climbs effortlessly, Uran can be extremely dangerous man today. However, both the Colombian and Belgian team’s manager took the pressure off his shoulders, claiming that Evans is the main favorite to gain some further advantage over his rivals and that they will be pleased to limit losses.

“Rigoberto just has to win or finish on the same time to the others. If he doesn’t, to lose time to Evans, then it’s OK. The third week of the Giro will be the week of truth,” team Omega Pharma general manager, Patrick Lefèvere said.

“It’s a mental game. Either you hit your rivals on the head with a hammer or you hit yourself because you lost time. However, you’re not going to win the Giro in the time trial.”

“He’s the favourite, but if I stay close then we can continue to battle for the overall in the mountain days that follow,” Urán said. “Those are going to be more important.”