Evans and Hincapie finding their feet at Cape Epic
(Cyclingnews.com)

Before turning professional on the road and enjoying a career that included Tour de France and world championships victories, Cadel Evans was a successful mountain biker. The Australian is making a return to mountain biking this week at the Cape Epic stage race in South Africa. The 40-year-old, who retired from road racing in 2015, hadn`t competitively ridden a mountain bike since 2001. During his time on the dirt, Evans was the 1998 and 1999 overall Mountain Bike World Cup winner. Teaming up with 43-year-old George Hincapie, one of Evans` key teammates in his 2011 Tour win, the duo was leading the Master`s category through stage 1 of the race when a flat tyre for Hincapie ended their hopes of victory. Evans and Hincapie rolled over the line over 18 minutes down on stage winners Tomi Misser and Ibon Zugasti (Orbea Factory) and now sit third overall in the Masters category. `I totally underestimated the energy requirements for today and I bonked with about an hour to go. Tonight I am going to eat as if it is Paris-Roubaix tomorrow,` Hincapie said of his longest day on a mountain bike to date.ADVERTISEMENT Evans added that he was physically ready for the challenge with the mechanical the major issue of the day with temperatures reaching into the high-30`s. `We had come here prepared to suffer but we were unlucky today,` Evans said. While unlucky with the puncture, the BMC duo have a further six stages to make up time on Misser and Zugasti and challenge for the Masters win. You can read more at Cyclingnews.com