Cadel Evans: A victory for the ages

Cycling

As an avid sports fan I've watched numerous moments that will go down in Australian sports history these last nineteen years. I've witnessed several cricket world cup victories, a rugby one, and too many Olympic moments to mention here. Yet never before have I been more proud to be an Aussie sports fan than I am tonight watching Cadel Evans ride his way to the Champs-Elysees.

The strong sports culture down under has seen Aussies winning many events, yet the Tour de France has been a very long time coming. That's what makes tonight very special. There is no better feeling as a fan than seeing one of our own countrymen steal the thunder from more fancied opponents, in a sport that virtually belongs to another continent. Evans' time trial ride yesterday draws parallels to the America's Cup victory of Australia II in 1983 in that Australia explored new sporting triumphs in both cases. You see, it's one thing to consistently assert dominance in sport but something else to be that person or team to break new ground - creating a new standard by which everyone after is judged. And what a way for Evans to do just that, stealing the lead with just one stage in hand. But national pride aside, in the end this story isn't about our country because it's about one man and his ability on two wheels.

If there was one word to describe Cadel's tour it would be 'patient.' When Andy Schleck broke away for the victory on stage 18, Evans let the lead grow out to four minutes before bridging the gap enough to halve the deficit. Clever, but risky. The following stage he suffered a mechanical problem but kept his head, letting himself drop back to the peloton to conserve his energy. He then worked his way back up the field with not an inch of help from anyone, with his team already left behind. He did this catch with virtually zero help from any other team, in respect to pacemaking. Every time it somehow ended up being Evans all alone doing the catching while Contador and Schleck powered on ahead. No Basso. No Cunego. And especially no Voeckler, clinging desperately to his yellow jersey. Just Evans, a man alone on a mission.

He'd left himself enough energy to cut down the younger Schleck, convincingly, in the time trial the following day for what must be called one of the smartest tour victories you'll see. Evans has a remarkable team time trial to thank for his maillot jaune. The second placing behind Garmin-Cervelo, by just four seconds, must be close to the top of his highlights reel. For sure it was an immense individual achievement winning this great cycling event, but consider what might have been should that team time trial have unraveled. George Hincapie deserves a medal, the veteran providing invaluable assistance for Evans over the three weeks in his sixteenth tour. The seven others, too, cannot be overlooked for the work they've put in. It's sometimes difficult to remember that cycling is very much a team sport, but this tour showed us how.

The Tour de France, to me, represents the ultimate test for human endurance, teamwork and tactics. The gorgeous scenery of the Pyrenees, Alps and Mediterranean is simply a bonus. It all comes together to create one of sports' greatest spectacles. And now we just had a countryman beat 197 other men to claim the title. I don't think any of my words could describe what this means for both Australian cycling and Australian sport.

Hoogerland the hero

Cycling

I won't be forgetting the name Johnny Hoogerland in a while, nor stage nine of the 2011 edition of the Tour de France.

The 28 year old Dutch rider from lowly-ranked outfit Vacansoleil-DCM has put on a display of great strength to make his way onto the podium to receive his King of the Mountains jersey on Sunday's stage.

It was a shame that such unnecessary actions brought him this pain.

Hoogerland, in a very strong and experienced breakaway of riders, managed to claim all hill climb points on offer to take the polka-dot jersey before the end of the stage.

With team leader Romain Feillu unable to make any great inroads in the sprint stages early in the tour, Hoogerland was drawing the attention his way. His repeated attacks stage after stage were showing not only his desire to win the King of the Mountains, but to support his more experienced teammates back in the peloton.

Then the incident happened that we will still be talking about at the end of this tour.

With less than 30km to go, a French media car swerved right into the path of fellow breakaway member Juan Antonio Flecha, in turn sending our young Dutchman into the path of a barbed wire fence.

Despite the pain, he somehow managed to finish the stage within the time limit, well behind the main pack.

Bandaged on both legs, he hobbled onto the podium to receive his jersey in clear discomfort. Then he broke down in tears as the zip was done up.

It's a profound moment that will stick with me as a great Tour memory.

Yet it seems so sad that years of training can be brought undone by a terrible split decision by those who, ironically, are supposed to be spreading the wonderful images around the globe of this annual event.

Like any other controversial moment in sport, people will be quick to throw together a bunch of reasons for instant changes to be made to the system. But there's no need.

The Tour de France is a monument. To make any changes to either the roads or the current traffic system is an insult to its grand history. This was a simple case of a break in concentration, nothing more.

If riders of the past can deal with these random incidents caused by traffic then so can those of the present. The unpredictable nature of the event is what makes this race, watched my millions across the globe, just that more intense.

Through the great maze of fast winds, heavy rain and unpredictable traffic awaits Paris.

Don't ever change, my Tour.

Tourmalet Brings Out the Best in the Tour

Andy Schleck has won the 17th Stage of the Tour de France, but by not enough to take the yellow jersey off the man who finished at his side, Alberto Contador.
The stage concluded with the Tour's most infamous and celebrated climb, the Col du Tourmalet. The summit was reached first, fittingly, by the two best riders in the tour to date. It was a duel to behold among the mist, rain and hordes of screaming fans along the slope.
Schleck initiated the duel with less than 10 kilometres of the climb remaining, attempting to gain at least eight seconds on Contador, in the hope he would wear the yellow jersey out of the Pyrenees.
Contador stayed on the wheel of the man from Luxembourg until there was only several kilometres remaining. Contador then tried to accelerate away from the duel, but couldn't shake Schleck.
The remaing metres were still full of aggression, stamina and entertainment by the riders as neither rider looked like backing off.
Contador didn't challenge Schleck for the win as the pair reached the line. Instead, they patted each other on the back in a sign of genuine respect for each other.
That's what the tour is all about - a competition fought in good spirit and to the very end.
Forget all the debacle that unfolded with the Schleck mechanical incident several stages back, all is mended with what must called the most entertaining finish to a climb I've personally seen at any tour to date.
Schleck dropped his chain several stages back, and his misfortune was Contador's gain as he took the yellow jersey fresh off Schleck's shoulders.
The move of the defending champion to gain time on Schleck was seen by some as an insult to the sport and a sign of disrespect to the yellow jersey.
Others saw it as a fair move and that because there isn't a rule against it then there is no reason to criticse.
That's in the past.
The two riders did their job on the Tourmalet, and their congratulations towards each other after the stage couldn't have been any more genuine.
It was a fair race of two quality riders with different tactics.
The perserverence of Schleck was pitted against the patience of Contador, and although Schleck did not move into the overall tour lead, he was proud of his victory.
"To win here on the Tourmalet is a dream come true for me" he said.
"Only eight seconds separates me from the win, and anything can happen."
However, Schleck has a tough task ahead of him if he wants the Mailot Jeune at Paris.
He must overcome Contador in a time trial on the second-last stage, a format that suits the Spaniards racing style.
Many now believe that Contador is certain to remain on top til the end, but the man himself is not taking anything for granted.
"Well, I have to win it first. You can lose the tour at any moment" Contador noted after the stage, "Every day is a new story."
Behind the two leaders, Samuel Sanchez continued his excellent tour with his fifth placing on the stage keeping him in third place overall.
The Euskatel rider put a further eight valuable seconds between himself and Dennis Menchov of Rabobank in the hotly contested race for the final podium position at Paris. The pair are only separated by a mere 21 seconds.
But all eyes remain on the battle for overall honours.
The battle of the Tourmalet is one of those moments that will be talked about for years to come when people mention the Tour.
But there is plenty more to see yet.