Tour de France runner-up Australian star Cadel Evans withdrew from the road cycling time trial because of knee injury, said Australian Cycling Federation (ACF) on Wednesday.
"I will not take a place in Beijing if everything doesn't go according to plan. I just want to focus on overcoming it so I can race in China," said Evans who would not elaborate on the details of the injury.
The 31-year-old has yet to decide whether he will travel to Beijing to contest the road race.
"I slipped on a wet floor on Sunday night and my team doctor immediately had a look at it and said not to worry," said Evans. "I immediately headed back to the hotel and to bed and on Monday morning I felt a bit sore but didn't feel I'd done any damage."
Evans dismissed rumors he had suffered an injury that might threaten his Olympic Games campaign on Monday, but after flying home his right knee swelled up and he visited an orthopedic specialist for precautionary scans.
"But on the flight back home my knee began to swell up so I had to consider going to see a specialist who recommended canceling my ride in Belgium in favor of getting some scans done. It's not a major injury but it's something I will have to manage carefully," he said.
"I recognized I might not be at my absolute best in the race against the clock but I can still make a significant contribution to the team effort for the road race," said Evans. "I'll be training and getting treatment over the next few days to confirm my participation by Monday. "
Evans will undergo further treatment in the coming eight days before the Olympics.
According to ACF website, Australia has qualified one starting position for the men's time trial at the Olympic Games, and Evans will be replaced by three-time world champion Michael Rogers, who was second at the Beijing Olympic trial road cycling race last year.
The men's road cycling race is set to be held on August 9 in Beijing, one day after the opening ceremony.
(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)