THIEZAC, France (AP) -- With his self-confidence at a high and luck finally on his side, Australia's Cadel Evans could achieve something special this year in the Tour de France. The two-time runner-up was third in the overall standings enterng the 10th stage Tuesday, the best placing among the favorites, after surviving a crash-marred week that saw several contenders bow out. The BMC team leader finished behind Alberto Contador in 2007 and Carlos Sastre in 2008. Last year, Evans wore the yellow jersey but broke his left elbow and settled for a 26th-place finish on the Champs Elysees. Regarded as an underachiever until he become world champion in 2009, Evans is stronger this year.(34 images)
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The peloton is reflected in Allagnon river near the village of Lempdes sur Allagnon as they ride during the 9th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208 kilometers (129 miles) starting in Issoire and finishing in Saint Flour, central France, Sunday July 10, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The pack with Thor Hushovd of Norway, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, speeds down Massiac pass during the 9th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208 kilometers (129 miles) starting in Issoire and finishing in Saint Flour, central France, Sunday July 10, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The breakaway group with Johnny Hoogerland of The Netherlands, Thomas Voeckler of France, Luis-Leon Sanchez of Spain, Sandy Casar of France, and Juan Antonio Flecha of Spain, from front to rear, climbs towards Massiac Pass during the 9th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208 kilometers (129 miles) starting in Issoire and finishing in Saint Flour, central France, Sunday July 10, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
Alexande Vinokourov of Kazakhstan, second right, is helped by his teammates after crashing during the 9th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208 kilometers (129 miles) starting in Issoire and finishing in Saint Flour, central France, Sunday July 10, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
Frederik Willems of Belgium, left, and David Zabriskie of the US, right, are being treated by Tour de France doctors after crashing during the 9th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208 kilometers (129 miles) starting in Issoire and finishing in Saint Flour, central France, Sunday July 10, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
Robert Gesink of The Netherlands, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, Levi Leipheimer of the US, center, and Philippe Gilbert of Belgium, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey, ride towards Saint Flour during the 9th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208 kilometers (129 miles) starting in Issoire and finishing in Saint Flour, central France, Sunday July 10, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
Philippe Gilbert of Belgium climbs towards Super Besse Sancy during the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy, central France, Saturday July 9, 2011. Joel Saget / AP
The pack climbs La Croix Saint Robert Pass during the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy, central France, Saturday July 9, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
Geraint Thomas of Britain, left, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway, second left, lead ahead of Thor Hushovd of Norway, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, as they speed down La Croix Saint Robert pass during the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy, central France, Saturday July 9, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
Philippe Gilbert of Belgium crosses the finish line in second position, seconds ahead of the pack, to take the best sprinter's green jersey in the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy, central France, Saturday July 9, 2011. Laurent Rebours / AP
The pack rides during the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 189 kilometers (117.5 miles) starting in Aigurande and finishing in Super Besse Sancy, central France, Saturday July 9, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The pack with Johnny Hoogerland of The Netherlands, wearing the best climber's dotted jersey, passes a field of sunflowers during the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 218 kilometers (135.5 miles) starting in Le Mans and finishing in Chateauroux, central France, Friday July 8, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
Mark Cavendish of Britain celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 218 kilometers (135.5 miles) starting in Le Mans and finishing in Chateauroux, central France, Friday July 8, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
A man controls his horse as the peloton passes during the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 218 kilometers (135.5 miles) starting in Le Mans and finishing in Chateauroux, central France, Friday July 8, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
The peloton passes world heritage site Mont Saint Michel, rear, a rocky tidal island which holds a monastery, during he sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 226.5 kilometers (140.7 miles) starting in Dinan, Brittany, and finishing in Lisieux, Normandy, western France, Thursday July 7, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
The peloton rides under a menacing sky during the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 226.5 kilometers (140.7 miles) starting in Dinan, Brittany, and finishing in Lisieux, Normandy, western France, Thursday July 7, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
A teammate raises his arm in victory, rear, as Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway, second right, crosses the finish line to win the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 226.5 kilometers (140.7 miles) starting in Dinan, Brittany, and finishing in Lisieux, Normandy, western France, Thursday July 7, 2011. Laurent Rebours / AP
Romain Feillu of France, center, crosses over from one part of the pack to another, after the peloton split up on a roundabout during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 164.5 kilometers (102.2 miles) starting in Carhaix and finishing in Cap Frehel, Brittany, western France, Wednesday July 6, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
A Citroen 2CV, (Deux Chevaux or two horsepower), is seen in the foreground as the peloton passes, rear, during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 164.5 kilometers (102.2 miles) starting in Carhaix and finishing in Cap Frehel, Brittany, western France, Wednesday July 6, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
Mark Cavendish of Britain celebrates winning the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 164.5 kilometers (102.2 miles) starting in Carhaix and finishing in Cap Frehel, Brittany, western France, Wednesday July 6, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
A man plays bagpipes roadside as the pack with Thor Hushovd of Norway, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, passes during the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.5 kilometers (107.2 miles) starting in Lorient and finishing in Le Mur de Bretagne, Brittany, western France, Tuesday July 5, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The pack with Thor Hushovd of Norway, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, climbs Mur de Bretagne in the last kilometers of the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.5 kilometers (107.2 miles) starting in Lorient and finishing in Mur de Bretagne, Brittany, western France, Tuesday July 5, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
A helicopter of the French TV hovers over the pack with Thor Hushovd of Norway, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, center, during the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.5 kilometers (107.2 miles) starting in Lorient and finishing in Mur de Bretagne, Brittany, western France, Tuesday July 5, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
Stage winner Cadel Evans of Australia, right, and three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain, left with raised arm, look at each other as they cross the finish line of the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.5 kilometers (107.2 miles) starting in Lorient and finishing in Mur de Bretagne, Brittany, western France, Tuesday July 5, 2011. Contador came in second with the same time as Evans, Alexande Vinokourov of Kazakhstan, second left, took the third place and Rigoberto Uran of Colombia, far left, took the fourth place. Christophe Ena / AP
Tyler Farrar of the US forms a "W'' as he crosses the finish line to win the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Farrar held up his hands to form a "W'' with his fingers and thumbs to honor his friend and training partner Wouter Weylandt, who died in a crash during the Giro d'Italia in May. Laurent Rebours / AP
The pack is seen during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
Spectators cheer as the peloton passes near Olonne sur Mer duriung the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The peloton crosses Saint Nazaire bridge crossing Loire river during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
Tyler Farrar of the US celebrates as he crosses the finish line ahead of Romain Feillu of France, left, and Jose Joaquin Rojas of Spain, right, to win the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Laurent Rebours / AP
Julian Dean of new Zealand, rear left, and Thor Hushovd of Norway, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rear, clench their fists as their teammate Tyler Farrar of the US, center, crosses the finish line ahead of Romain Feillu of France, left, and Jose Joaquin Rojas of Spain, right, to win the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Farrar's victory allowed Hushovd to keep the overall leader's yellow jersey. Laurent Rebours / AP
The peloton passes a salt pan during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The peloton rides during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer, Vendee region, and finishing in Redon, Brittany, western France, Monday July 4, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
The peloton passes the Passage du Gois, a causeway submerged by the tide twice a day joining Noirmoutier island, rear, and the mainland, during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 191,5 kilometers ( 119 miles) starting in Passage du Gois and finishing in Mont des Alouettes, les Herbiers, western France, Saturday July 2, 2011. Christophe Ena / AP
The peloton rides through the Vendee region during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 191,5 kilometers ( 119 miles) starting in Passage du Gois and finishing in Mont des Alouettes, les Herbiers, western France, Saturday July 2, 2011. Laurent Cipriani / AP
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