BARWON HEADS’ own Cadel Evans has discovered a weakness in Italian race leader Michele Scarponi in Tirreno-Adriatico.

Evans, currently in fourth place, fought back to gain eight seconds.

“When you can get some like Scarponi on the ropes, you go with all you can,’ Evans told cyclingnews.com after the stage.

“I saw Scarponi in difficulty and could just about make an acceleration. I had Garzelli and I think it was Gasparotto lined up for the finish, then I looked under my shoulder and saw I’d got another Astana guy on the wheel. I thought ‘what do I do here?’ I could have stopped and played for the stage but get caught by everyone, or continue to try and take time on Scarponi on GC.”

Evans hoped those eight seconds would be the difference.

“We’ll see,” Evans said. “I thought that with the way Androni Giocattoli rode at the start there was nothing we’d be able to do, but they really fell apart with a crash on the descent and after the climb. They’re don’t look quite as solid as I first expected.”