Contador names Evans

2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain says Cadel Evans will win the 2008 Tour de France.

Cadel Evans is Contador's favourite for victory - fotoreporter sirotti

Contador, who recently won the Giro d'Italia and with no ride in this year, Tour Contador's will focus for the rest of this season on the Olympic Games' road race, but to a greater extent the Tour of Spain crown that would help him achieve the rare feat of winning three major Tours.

In the meantime he has picked Evans, a runner-up to the Spaniard by just 23secs in last year's Tour, to become the first Australian to win the yellow jersey.

"My favourite for the Tour is Cadel Evans, he's a solid rider who can really make time differences count in the time trials," Contador said.

Contador also believes that Russian Denis Menchov could be in the yellow jersey mix. "It should be quite an open Tour, with Evans, Valverde and Menchov the main favourites."

He also said that he was not feeling bitter about the race organisers' decision not to invite his team to the Tour. "The Tour is the best race in the world, but if I don't race it one year it's not a catastrophe. There are other races I can do.

"I did think at one time about changing teams (to be able to race the Tour), but I couldn't do that - especially as Astana built the team around me. "In the end I think I've made the right decision.,"