Spokes man: Cadel Evans pedalling into form, hoping to tear asunder the Tour Down Under

CADEL Evans's BMC Racing team boss believes he will produce a head-turning performance in the Tour Down Under.

TOUR DE FRANCE - STAGE 8 - Castres to AX-3-Domaines - Australia's Cadel Evans looks to have lost any hope of getting the yellow jersey after being convincingly defeated on the stage by Sky Christopher Froome

CADEL Evans's BMC Racing team boss, Allan Peiper, believes the Australian star will produce a head-turning performance in the Tour Down Under next week.

Former professional Peiper said Evans sounded a clear warning to rivals of his good early season form when he finished second behind Simon Gerrans in last weekend's national road championships without the help of a single teammate.

Peiper believes the result proved Evans will be one of the major contenders for the overall victory in this year's six-stage race, which begins Tuesday and runs through to next Sunday.

Evans has rarely ridden the Tour Down Under in recent years but his decision to focus on the Giro d'Italia in May rather than the later Tour de France has opened the way for the him to race in Australia.

News_Rich_Media: 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans gets behind the wheel of a Holden Racing Team V8 supercar for a hot lap of Melbourne's Cader Park Raceway.

And Peiper believe his charge plans to make the most of the opportunity - and racing on home turf.

"He comes into the Tour Down Under full of confidence, knowing he has the legs and his team around him,'' Peiper said.

"He also knows there are stages that suit his ability.

"I for sure believe he has the possibility of the win.''

Peiper acknowledged the overall win will not come cheaply with the best professional teams in the world racing the Tour and Sunday night's curtain raiser - a 50km twilight criterium in Adelaide.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not a given but there is definitely a possibility he can win. I think he sent out a warning to all the contenders at the nationals about that,'' Peiper said.

News_Rich_Media: Simon Gerrans has been crowned the national road race champion, beating Cadel Evans and Richie Porte to win the title.

"GreenEDGE has come in with a specific goal of getting (Simon) Gerrans into the Ochre (leaders) jersey again.

"But it is realistic we can make a bid for a top placing.

"I think it will come down to bonus seconds between those GC (general classification) riders. It could be one of the closest races we have seen in recent years.''

Evans last rode the Tour Down Under in 2010, a year before he became the first Australian to win the Tour de France.

But he rode the event regularly at the start of his career, winning the Young Rider category back in 1999.

The Tour Down Under is the first round of the World Tour and has lured the top teams in world cycling to South Australia for the annual race.