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Evgeni Plushenko's dominating win at the Rostelecom Cup made him an early favorite for Olympic gold. (Getty Images)

By Lynn Rutherford, special to icenetwork.com

(11/14/2009) - Evgeni Plushenko served notice at the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow that he's willing and able to defend his Olympic title in Vancouver, but it doesn't follow that his U.S. competitors are intimidated by the Russian's outsize personality and consistent quad toe combinations.

"Plushenko looked good to me," Frank Carroll, Evan Lysacek's coach, said. "Strong in jumps, and jumps, and jumps."

Carroll handicapped a few of the other contenders.

"[Brian] Joubert is a dark horse, he's so hot and cold. I don't know if his artistry will be up to level. To me, Patrick Chan would be a big rival. And don't forget [Stéphane] Lambiel will be back, he's a great artist on the ice. Sometimes he struggles with elements, but he's a real artist."

Evan Lysacek himself doesn't see a clear favorite.

"I don't think you can say anyone is the one to beat," he said after his winning short last night. "It's wide open and I think it's the most anticipated event."

Once again, the world champion was asked if he needed a quad to take home gold.

"I feel like I'm barely back into training," he said. "[During the] off season I spent tons of time preparing choreography and building up strength in my [left] foot [injured before worlds last season].

"A few weeks ago, I started [training] the quad again, and then I practiced this week in between Cup of China and Skate America. Hopefully by Vancouver I'll feel confident enough to put it into my program under the Olympic spotlight."

Carroll also hopes for the quad, but stressed it wasn't necessarily the most important factor.

"I feel like [Evan] has to be steady and bring himself to a high artistic level," Carroll said. "I would like to see him do a quad at the Olympics. It's not ready right now but I hope it will be."

U.S. silver medalist Brandon Mroz, who competed against Plushenko at the Rostelecom Cup (he placed seventh), looks forward to his next encounter with the Russian.

"For me he's a great athlete, he pushed the men's field and made a lot of guys put out the quad," Mroz said. "When it comes down to it, he's a skater, just the same as I am. We have the same ammunition."

Asked if his youth -- 19, to Plushenko's 27 -- was an advantage, Mroz laughed.

"Maybe," he said. "Maybe my knees can bend more easily. It's good to have youth on my side."

Ryan Bradley, who trains alongside Mroz in Colorado Springs, has worked the quad consistently into his programs over the past few seasons. He views Plushenko as inspiration.

"He definitely turned a lot of heads at the Rostelecom Cup," Bradley said. "He went out, didn't necessarily have the very highest levels or the best transitions, but hit the tough jumps. I think of that as kind of my style. [His comeback] is good for the sport and definitely helps push me in my skating.

"I don't think the top guys are looking at him and getting scared. I think they look upon him as another competitor."