The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road cycling race is on Sunday 1st February. It is described as "The Most Beautiful Race on Earth" as it starts in Geelong, Victoria, travel through Evan's current home town of Barwon Heads, Thirteenth Beach, Torquay, the iconic Bells Beach, the rolling hills around Moriac with a dramatic finish on Geelong's Waterfront. As Evans' explained:
"I love this part of the world, it's beautiful country that's ideal for a one day cycling race, and it also just happens to be my home. The 2010 UCI Road World Championships in Geelong highlighted just how thrilling the one day road race format can be, and I am tremendously excited to see the Race come to life and to be bringing top international cycling to Barwon Heads, Geelong and Torquay. I hope this Race introduces more people to the sport of cycling, a sport which has given me so much joy over my life,"
Some of the world's best cycling teams including Orica GreenEDGE and BMC will converge on Victoria for one of the greatest weekends of cycling Australia has ever seen. It will also include an elite women's race and a "People's Ride" on Saturday. The one day road race is a first for Australia as well as Evan's last. Evan's confirmed his retirement from the sport at the completion of this race:
"Yes it is true. After a long period of contemplation within, and with those closest to me, I feel it is the right time to end my journey in competitive professional cycling. It has been the journey of more than a lifetime, something I could never have envisaged when first experiencing the joy of riding a bike on the dirt roads of Bamylli (Barunga) in the Northern Territory. It's amazing how far two wheels can take a person!"
Early Years
Born in the Northern Territory Evans grew up in a small Aboriginal community of Barunga, 80 km east of Katherine before moving to Armidale, NSW and then Melbourne, Victoria. After several years in the Australian Institute of Sport development squad the former World Cup Mountain Bike champion (1998/99) successfully switched to the road and scored second in the 2007/08 Tour de France. In 2009 he became the first Australian to win the World Road Championships. Finally in 2011 he capped it with the ultimate; winning the Tour de France.
More than the bike.
In 2008, Evans wore a cycling undershirt with the Flag of Tibet. The Tibetan people have had an important part in his life as he explains, "I have a long strong passion and interest for Tibet and its culture. The first connection with Asia came with a birthday present from Chiara: a sponsorship for a Tibetan child living in Nepal and studying in a Tibetan school in Kathmandu. Since visiting our sponsored child Tashi and the Manasarovar Academy of Kathmandu, in October 2008, we're proud to know that a little bit of effort from our part goes a long way to help. Trying to bring awareness of the Tibet movement is something someone in my position can do. I just feel really sorry for them. They don't harm anyone and they are getting their culture taken away from them. I don't want to see a repeat of what happened to Aboriginal culture [in Australia] happen to another culture."
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race will be a fitting end to an amazing sporting career as well as the start of what is likely to be an exciting new chapter in his personal and future career.
Jeremy Dover is a former sports scientist and pastor.
Jeremy Dover's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/jeremy-dover.html