Earlier today it was announced that Team BMC Racing's defending Tour de France champion Cadel Evans will not participate in the 2012 Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday and the Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic on Sunday because he has chosen to prioritize full and speedy recovery from his sinus infection.

Team BMC Racing's Chief Doctor Max Testa said Evans, who is a past winner of Flèche-Wallonne, was indeed motivated to play a supporting role in the two races. However, after withdrawing from Sunday's Amstel Gold Race, the decision was made for the defending Tour de France champion to return home to enable an earlier recovery.

"Cadel has the Tour of Romandie coming in one week and with this infection, we don't want to take any risks," Dr. Testa commented and added "The weather won't be helpful - it's going to be rainy and cold here - so it was probably the best decision we could make in the interest of the health of the rider."

Team BMC Racing sports director John Lelangue claims Evans' absence does not affect the team's approach to either race.

"We still have a good field around Philippe Gilbert (who finished sixth Sunday at Amstel Gold Race) and Greg Van Avermaet to make two good Ardennes races," Lelangue stated and added "Cadel was coming here with the objective to help them. That was always the plan. We know his main objective is in a few months in July. Therefore he has to make a good Tour of Romandie. It will be a good test in real stage race conditions - with a time trial, prologue and mountain stages."