The shattered remains handed to the (SMH) were graphic proof of the force of the impact his head made with the road. Without it, Evans may well have sustained a serious head injury, if not worse.
Australian teammate Robbie McEwen was attentive, bringing him anti-inflammatories. Then Evans drifted to the rear of the peloton to seek Tour medico Dr Gerard Porte, whose mobile diagnosis from a car window was that the wounds were superficial.
'I couldn't believe it then on the podium. Yesterday (stage nine) I was at ... you know .. it was my Tour low and today, until this point in the Tour, it is my Tour high.' |