Evans wins Criterium, warms up for Tour

26 March 2012 04:06

Tour de France champion Cadel Evans sent a warning sign to his rivals as he took out Criterium International in France on Sunday.

The 35-year-old, riding for BMC, is preparing to peak for his Tour title defence in July and was untroubled as he finished fourth in the third and final stage to take the event.

Evans won the yellow jersey on Saturday and looked comfortable in the day's final climb up the Col de l'Ospedale, beating Frenchman Pierrick Federigo, who took out the stage, and fellow Australian Michael Rogers, who finished third overall.

"It worked out very well today. In the last few kilometres I could hold off the attacks and take the yellow jersey home," Evans said.

"It's a good indication (for the Tour) but there are still big races to come," he said.

Rogers was second overnight but slipped back a place after finishing the 179-kilometre stage from Porto Vecchio to Col de l'Ospedale in eighth spot.

Fedrigo fought off Italian Rinaldo Nocentini and Norweigan Lars-Peter Nordhaug in a tight sprint finish leaving him eight seconds adrift of Evans overall.