(Phil Wrochna is managing editor of firstoffthebike.com and Radio SEN's cycling commentator.)

The Tour of Italy is the focus of world cycling right now and Australia's world champion Cadel Evans is in the thick of the action. The question, though, is why? If history alone is any guide then this is an act of man who thinks he cannot win the Tour de France.

There are a few reasons why Cadel should not be on the Tour of Italy - the Giro d'Italia - and they all add up to a pretty compelling argument:

History. In the history of bike racing there have only ever been seven riders who have completed the Tour de France-Tour of Italy season double. Trying to win two Grand Tours in a season is clearly incredibly difficult. Those that have made it to the top in both tours are the Lords of two wheels: Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx ('The Cannibal' - who did it three times) and Bernard "The Badger' Hinault. The last man to do it was Marco Pantani - 'Il Pirato' -  in 1998.

For one thing, Evans lacks a cool nickname and secondly he is not in the class of those mentioned. But then few are.

Danger. One of the guns of world cycling, Christian Vande Velde knows all too well the dangers of riding Grand Tours before the big dance in July. His crash on Monday and the resulting broken collarbone underlines just how dangerous the opening week of the big races are.

The bunch is nervous, the crowds are enormous as the tifosi strain to get a glimpse of their idols and the odds of crashing are high. It could be argued that all bike races are dangerous and indeed there are inherent dangers anytime a pro pins on a number but in a Grand Tour these are amplified. And don't get us started on the unpaved sections of the roads used in the Giro! Danger lurks.

Fatigue. This time of the year is usually reserved for fine tuning. Yes there are still some seven weeks before the Tour de France kicks off in Rotterdam (July 3) but a Grand Tour, one especially difficult as the Giro, is very taxing on the reserves of someone who is expected to be near the head of affairs. The Dolomite Mountain range is savage and given that the Giro finishes on May 30 there is not a lot of time to rest up before proceedings kick off in France. Then there is the fatigue of a Grand Tour. Media appearances, sponsor promotions and the endless sea of questions, as the European press want answers the instant a rider finishes, all add up to a very demanding ordeal.

This also involves late nights and long days and the result is definitely something that will take a toll. Cadel has already complained about the late nights via his website. Then, when the Tour de France rolls around, this is all amplified by the power of five.

The Jersey. Cadel Evans is the current world champion. The rainbow jersey he wears is the only one of its kind to be worn in the bunch all year. A magnificent honour and a brilliant ride by Cadel to win it.

Cadel has already tasted victory while wearing it, defying the so called curse of the rainbow jersey. But it is this weight of the jersey that will see Cadel pull himself inside out to be at the front of the group. He cannot be seen to be coasting. Cadel, aware of the jersey's tradition and prestige, will want to do his part to protect its status and also the defeat the curse.

The Pink Jersey. If Cadel inherits the Maglia Rosa - the pink leader's jersey - of the Giro then he must defend it. He took it early this week (as pictured, above) but let it go in preference to keeping close to the lead without having the responsibility of ownership. Cadel is the favorite to win the Giro this year and the course almost suits him. There are no long time trials and his team is weakened with George Hincapie in California. But, all things being equal, Cadel should be the man in May.

That being said he will have to ride for his life as the opportunity for him to win a Grand Tour is getting smaller and smaller each season. A win in May after a huge effort will almost certainly put him on the back burner for the overall in July. He might just pick off stages.

For all the reasons listed above, Cadel Evans should not be at the Tour of Italy. If his real goal is the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France then the Giro will take too much out of him.

In saying that, we should remember this is Cadel version 2.0. He is super talented and the rainbow jersey is giving him a harder, more attacking edge that we love. Already he has bested the likes of Alberto Contador this season, something he would not have done previously.

As fans of cycling, we'll cheer hard for the much-maligned man from Barwon Heads but also wonder about his motives in riding the Giro - and question what his season's goals are.

(For you history buffs here is the list of those who have done won the Tour and the Giro in the same year:

Fausto Coppi (ITA): 1949, 1952
Jacques Anquetil (FRA): 1964
Eddy Merckx (BEL): 1970, 1972, 1974
Bernard Hinault (FRA): 1982, 1985
Stephen Roche (IRL): 1987
Miguel Indurain (ESP): 1992, 1993
Marco Pantani (ITA): 1998)