Amid growing excitement about Jay Vine's Grand Tour credentials, the only Australian to win the Tour de France is looking forward to seeing his abilities first-hand.
Cadel Evans says the multiple climbs up the steep Challambra Crescent might be tailor-made for Vine in Sunday's Great Ocean Road Race.
Vine is enjoying a stellar month that started with his first Australian time trial championship win and then the overall title at his Tour Down Under debut.
Tour race director Stuart O'Grady thinks the UAE Team Emirates rider can win a three-week Grand Tour - the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
Evans made history when he won the 2011 Tour de France and Jai Hindley last year became the first Australian to win the Giro d'Italia.
Now the man who is honoured with a bike race named after him is keen to see what Vine can produce in Sunday's 176km race.
Asked about O'Grady's comment, Evans said: "I don't know Jay well enough, but he seems to be able to do everything and he seems to have all the right ingredients, so let's wait and see."
But Evans suspects Vine's climbing strength might prove too much for sprinters such as Australian star Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla).
"Just talking to Michael Matthews, I'm really happy to hear that 'Bling' is so motivated - 'we've put everything on the line, we're here to win this'," Evans said.
"I'm thinking with an extra time up Challambra, a little bit more selective at the start - we'll see what happens with the wind - whether that will affect how difficult the middle of the race is.
"One more time up Challambra, it's going to make it really hard for the sprinters, which maybe (goes) towards someone like Jay, who is obviously the man of the moment.
"I don't know his experience in one-day races and his ability to switch from a stage race to one-day race mode, but we're in for a great fight."
