Australian cycling star Cadel Evans and players at AFL powerhouse Geelong may well spare a thought for each other during this landmark weekend.

Evans is in Monaco for the start of the Tour de France, which runs from July 4-26.

On Sunday, the Cats clash with the league's other unbeaten side St Kilda - one of the most anticipated home-and-away games in AFL history.

Evans lives near Geelong during the Australian summer and spent time with the Cats earlier this year for rehabilitation work on his knee.

He ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament at a party on the final night of last year's Tour de France, where the Australian was runner-up for the second-straight year.

It is an injury which puts footballers out of action for up to a season, but the lack of any twisting movement in pedalling meant Evans could compete the following month at the Beijing Olympics.

Still, he needed extensive rehabilitation work during the off-season and impressed the Cats with his dedication.

"He was very impressive, he's quite an interesting bloke to look at, because he's quite unassuming, quite short and a slight upper body - nothing like what we normally see in the gym," said Geelong captain Tom Harley.

"But he was clearly really passionate about being the best he can be and he works his backside off in the gym."

Evans was also keen to talk to Harley about leadership - a key subject for the cycling star given his much-documented team issues.

He lacked strong team support during last year's Tour.

Evans thought he had solved that issue when his Silence-Lotto team signed Bernhard Kohl, but the Austrian was busted shortly after for doping.

This week, another Tour team-mate, Thomas Dekker, was also suspended for a doping offence.

But Evans has said several times during this season that he is much happier with the team's depth and cohesion.

Harley, the 2007 premiership captain, remembered that Evans was very keen to pick his brains last summer about the Cats' team development.

"He was really interested to hear about the culture of teams and what makes successful teams," Harley said.

"We think we do it really well and it was really eye-opening - I had no idea cycling was so team-based ... he had a real passion for it, I reckon."

Harley also learnt very quickly that he has much to learn about coffee etiquette.

"The first impression was him telling us you can't drink a latte in the afternoon - it's a disgrace, it's a breakfast drink, he was having a short black," Harley said.

"That's what they do in Europe, apparently." Evans and the Cats swapped signed tops and the Geelong players will follow his fortunes closely this month.

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