Evergreen Australian veteran Cadel Evans is making a habit of defying his critics’ ominous predictions and will enter the Giro d’Italia on the back of Giro del Trentino victory.

Second at the Tour Down Under back in January, Evans has already dished out a reminder of how he has become one of Australia’s first Grand Tour winner and is desperate to improve on last year’s third place at the Giro. Given he achieved last year’s result when his focus was centred more on the Tour de France – which he won in 2011 – suggests Evans is likely to enter this year’s Giro as one of the favourites.

He will also enjoy the backing of what he believes is the strongest squad BMC Racing have ever put together, with key domestiques including Brent Bookwalter and Ben Hermans – both of whom have shown well in support of Evans this season. Samuel Sanchez is another big name in the line-up, and while Evans appeared to struggle at Tirreno-Adriatico his climbing form in the Basque Country and at the Trentino showed him approaching his best again.