Cadel Evans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Cadel Evans

Cadel Evans at the 2011 Tour de Romandie
Personal information
Full name Cadel Evans
Born 14 February 1977 (1977-02-14) (age 35)
Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia[1]
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 67 kg (150 lb; 10.6 st)
Team information
Current team BMC Racing Team
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Rider type All-Rounder
Amateur team(s)
1994–1999
2001		 Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS)
Professional team(s)

2001
2002
2003–2004
2005–2009
2010–		 Volvo-Cannondale (MTB) (1999)
Saeco Macchine per Caffè
Mapei-Quick Step
Team Telekom
Davitamon-Lotto
BMC Racing Team
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
Jersey yellow.svg General Classification
(2011)
2 Individual Stages (2007, 2011)
Giro d'Italia
Jersey red.svg Points Classification
(2010)
1 Individual Stage (2010)

Stage Races

Tour of Austria (2001, 2004)
Tour de Romandie (2006, 2011)
Tirreno–Adriatico (2011)
Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali (2008)

Single-Day Races and Classics
MaillotMundial.PNG World Road Race World Champion (2009)

La Flèche Wallonne (2010)
Infobox last updated on
6 February 2012

Cadel Lee Evans (/kəˈdɛl/,[2] born 14 February 1977) is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Evans turned to full-time road cycling in 2001, and gradually progressed through ranks. He finished second in 2007 and 2008 Tours de France. He became the first Australian to win the UCI ProTour (2007) and the UCI Road World Championships in 2009. Finally, he won the Tour de France in 2011, riding for BMC Racing Team, after two Tours riddled with bad luck.[3] At 34, he was among five oldest winners in the race's history.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Cadel Evans was born on 14 February 1977 at the Katherine Hospital, Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia, to Helen Cocks, a bank manager, and Paul Evans, a council foreman.[4] He spent his early childhood in the small Aboriginal community of Barunga, 80 km east of Katherine.[5] At the age of seven, he was hit in the head by a horse, and spent seven days in an induced coma. In 1986, his parents separated and he first moved with his mother to Armidale, New South Wales, and then to Eltham, Victoria, where his mother still lives. Evans attended Newling Public School in Armidale, and Eltham High School in Melbourne.[6] Skateboarding was one of his teenage interests. His father describes him as a good student, but otherwise just an ordinary kid who would leave his toys around; "Not in [my] wildest dreams" would he imagine that his son would become a top world athlete.[4] Cadel maintains his current Australian home in Barwon Heads, Victoria just outside of Melbourne.

[edit] Career

[edit] Mountain biking

Evans started his international career as a member of the Australian Institute of Sport mountain bike (MTB) team, under head coach, Heiko Salzwedel and MTB coach Damien Grundy, both renowned in their field. He won silver medals at the 1997 and 1999 under-23 world championships and bronze medals at the 1995 junior world road time trial championship and junior world mountain bike championship.

In 1997, he rode for the Diamondback MTB team,[7] and then for the Volvo-Cannondale MTB team.[8]

[edit] Switch to road cycling

In the summer of 2000 after consultation with Michele Ferrari under the management of Tony Rominger, Evans switched to road cycling fulltime.[9]

He has ridden for Saeco (2001), Mapei (2002) and Team Telekom (2003–2004). In Mapei, he was coached by Aldo Sassi, who helped him make the transition from mountain biker to grand tourer. After Sassi's death from cancer in 2010, Evans continued cooperation with his protege Andrea Morelli. After winning the Tour in 2011, Evans dedicated the victory to the late coach.[10] From the 2005 season he joined Davitamon-Lotto and came eighth in his first Tour de France, the first Australian in the top ten since Phil Anderson.

Cadel Evans rides in Bonn, Germany 2005

Other early successes included overall wins in the 2001 and 2004 editions of the Tour of Austria, 14th in the 2002 Giro d'Italia (he wore the leader's jersey, Maglia Rosa for one day), Commonwealth Games time trial champion in 2002, a stage win of the 2002 Tour Down Under, fifth in the 2005 Deutschland Tour, and winning the mountains classification in the 2006 Tour Down Under.

[edit] 2006

Evans won the Tour de Romandie, beating the Spaniards Alberto Contador Velasco and Alejandro Valverde on the very last stage, a 20 km time trial around Lausanne. He finished fifth in the Tour de France but was promoted to fourth after the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis due to a failed drug test.

Evans was also named Australian Cyclist of the Year.

[edit] 2007

In the 2007 Tour de France, Evans finished runner-up to Contador. He won the stage 13 Time Trial and came second in the stage 19 Time Trial. Evans finished fourth in the 2007 Vuelta a España. He came fifth in the world championship and sixth in the final UCI ProTour race, the Giro di Lombardia, securing the 2007 UCI ProTour with 247 points ahead of Davide Rebellin and Alberto Contador.

He was again named Australian Cyclist of the Year.

[edit] 2008

Evans was a favourite to win the 2008 Tour de France because Contador was not allowed to participate as his team Astana were not invited. Evans held the yellow jersey from stages 10 to 14. However, during Alpe d'Huez on stage 17, Carlos Sastre of Team CSC took 2 minutes 15 seconds from Evans. By the penultimate stage time trial, Evans needed to ride 1 minute 34 seconds faster than Sastre. He beat Sastre and jumped to second place but remained 58 seconds behind at the end of the Tour.

While recovering from a rupture anterior cruciate ligament,[11] Evans contested the 245 km mens road race at the Beijing Olympics, finishing 15th, 22 seconds behind Samuel Sánchez.[12] He placed fifth in the road time trial four days later.

[edit] 2009

Evans won the men's World Championship road race in Mendrisio, Switzerland on 27 September.[13] The win came shortly after his third placing in the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), during which he wore the gold leader's jersey for a day, although his race was marred by mechanical failure in the way up the Sierra Nevada mountain finish. A combination of poor team support and poor form hampered his 2009 Tour de France campaign and he was only able to finish in 30th place, 45 minutes behind winner Alberto Contador. He also scored victories in the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali.


The season saw Evans become one of Australia's most successful cyclists with two podium places at the Tour de France. He has joined an elite group of cyclists who have all worn all three leaders jerseys; the Maglia Rosa leaders jersey at the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) in 2002, the Yellow leaders jersey for 4 days in the 2008 Tour de France, and the Gold leaders Jersey in 2009 in the Vuelta a España. He was awarded Australian Cyclist of the Year for the third time.

There was much speculation at the end of the 2009 season of Evans looking for a new team to better support him at the 2010 Tour. After Evans became world champion he seemed to commit himself fully to helping teammate Philippe Gilbert. To many, this was evidence of a happier relationship between Evans and Silence-Lotto. However, it was then revealed that Evans was to depart the team, with the team citing his reason for leaving was "to look for new challenges".[14]

A biography, Cadel Evans: Close To Flying, was published by Hardie Grant Books in November 2009.[15]

[edit] 2010

Evans at the 2010 Tour de France team presentation

In 2010, Evans moved to the BMC Racing Team.[16] He had success in the 2010 Flèche Wallonne and he held the Maglia Rosa after Stage 2 of the 2010 Giro d'Italia. Evans won stage seven of the Giro d'Italia with a dominating sprint from the front of a small group. Evans ended 5th overall, winning the Maglia Rosso Passione (Points Classification) and the Azzurri d'Italia Classification. Evans also held the yellow jersey for stage nine of the 2010 Tour de France while riding with a hairline fracture in his left elbow caused during a crash in the previous stage. He lost significant time to the leaders during stage nine, which lost him the yellow jersey and put him out of serious contention for overall victory. He ended the tour in 26th place, 50min 27sec behind Alberto Contador.[17]

[edit] 2011

Evans had a much more successful start to 2011, winning stage 6 and the general classification at the Tirreno–Adriatico, and the general classification at the Tour de Romandie, both of which form part of the 2011 UCI World Tour. Skipping the Giro d'Italia, Evans prepared for the 2011 Tour de France by finishing as runner-up in the Criterium du Dauphine, one of the major Tour warm up events.

Evans finished second on stage one of the Tour de France, and won stage 4, the second Tour de France stage win of his career.[18] Evans then led the mountains classification after stage 4 for a single day. As the tour continued Evans was looked upon often to chase down breakaways in order to preserve his position in the top 5 of the general classification (GC) and in order to maintain time gaps that he believed he could strategically make up in the individual time trial of stage 20.[19] During stage 19 of the Tour, Evans was forced to chase an early breakaway containing the GC contenders and led by three time champion Alberto Contador. However, he experienced mechanical trouble and was forced to change bikes. He again led the peloton to pull back the contender group, keeping himself within striking distance for overall victory by remaining just under a minute behind Andy Schleck.

Evans wearing the maillot jaune during the final stage of the 2011 Tour de France

On the time trial, the last stage before Paris, Evans took the lead of the general classification by 1' 34" after finishing close second in the stage, beating previous race leader Andy Schleck by 2' 31".[20] With the win he became the first Australian to win the Tour de France and the oldest to win the overall general classification in the post-war era.[21] Evans' win elicited much celebration in his home nation with calls for a national holiday as his win was compared to that of the 1983 America's Cup which was considered Australia's greatest sporting achievement.[22] Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard personally phoned to congratulate Evans saying that “I do want to say a very big congratulations to Cadel Evans. I had the opportunity this morning to speak and to personally offer my congratulations. I believe I disturbed him while he was trying to get a nice, hot bath.”[22]

Evans himself commented on his win immediately following the tour admitting he was unsure of how his win would be felt in Australia, he said that “I haven’t had time to consider that aspect, to be honest. It’s been a long, long process and it will take a long time to realise what it means. A few people always believed in me and they’re the people that matter the most. We did it. It’s been a real pleasure these past three weeks.”[19] At a homecoming parade held on his return to Australia, tens of thousands of people turned out, many dressed in yellow and waving yellow flags, in Melbourne's Federation Square. A state reception was held in his honour.[23]

[edit] Personal life

He is married to Chiara Passerini, an Italian pianist and music teacher whom he met at the end of 2002.[24] Evans proposed her in 2005, after his first Tour de France.[6]

With his great-grandfather from Wales,[25] Evans was named "Cadel" in honour of three Welsh kings.[26]

Evans has stated that it was his early years growing up in Armidale, New South Wales, that was the inspiration for his cycling career.[citation needed]. His current Australian home is in the seaside town of Barwon Heads, Victoria, about 100 km south-west of Melbourne. He resides in Stabio, Switzerland when in Europe.[6]

[edit] Philanthropy

Winning The Sydney Morning Herald 2007 Sports Performer of the Year, Evans pledged to donate his $50,000 winner's prize to charity, including the Amy Gillett Foundation, established in memory of a former Australian rower and cyclist. Gillett was killed on the eve of a stage race in Germany in 2005, when she and her Australian teammates were struck by a car. Another nominated beneficiary was Ian Thorpe's Fountain for Youth, established by the Olympic swimmer to alleviate and treat illness and disease in people under 20. Making the announcement, Evans revealed that Thorpe had visited the Northern Territory Aboriginal commune of Barunga where Evans lived until the age of three.[27]

In 2008, Evans wore a cycling undershirt with the Flag of Tibet and supported freedom for Tibet.[28][29] He said:

"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."[29]

In support of youth mental health initiatives of Orygen Youth Health, Evans was reported as agreeing to participate in the 2011 Suit Up & Ride corporate team cycling event.[30]

[edit] Career highlights

1993
1st MaillotAustralia.PNG U-17 XC Australian MTB Champion
1994
1st MaillotAustralia.PNG U-19 XC Australian MTB Champion
2nd Silver medal blank.svg U-19 XC Mountain Bike World Championships
1995
3rd Bronze medal blank.svg U-19 XC Mountain Bike World Championships
3rd Bronze medal blank.svg Individual Time Trial Juniors World Championship
1996
1st MaillotAustralia.PNG XC Australian MTB Champion
3rd Bronze medal blank.svg U-23 XC Mountain Bike World Championships
9th Atlanta Olympics Mountain Bike Race
1997
1st MaillotAustralia.PNG XC Australian MTB Champion
2nd Silver medal blank.svg U-23 XC Mountain Bike World Championships
1998
1st Overall Mountain Bike World Cup
1999
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour of Tasmania
1st Stage 3
1st Jersey white.svg Young rider's competition Tour Down Under
1st Overall Mountain Bike World Cup
2nd Silver medal blank.svg U-23 XC Mountain Bike World Championchips
2000
7th Sydney Olympics Mountain Bike Cross Country
2001
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour of Austria
2nd Silver medal blank.svg Team Relay Mountain Bike World Championships
2002
1st Gold medal blank.svg Individual Time Trial Commonwealth Games
1st Stage 5 Tour Down Under
1st Jersey white.svg King Mountains Competition
1st Stage 1 Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale
1st Stage 4 International UNIQA Classic
2nd Silver medal blank.svg Road Race Commonwealth Games
3rd Overall Tour de Romandie
14th Overall Giro d'Italia
Held Jersey pink.svg Maglia Rosa for Stage 16–17
2003
1st Jersey white.svg King Mountains Competition Tour Down Under
2004
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour of Austria
1st Stage 2
2005
1st Stage 7 Deutschland Tour
8th Overall Tour de France
4th Stage 16
2006
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour de Romandie
1st Stage 5
1st Jersey white.svg King Mountains Competition Tour Down Under
4th Overall Tour de France
7th Overall Tour of California
2007
Champion UCI ProTour
1st Stage 2 ITT Test Event Beijing 2008
1st Stage 1 Part B TTT Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale Coppi-Bartali
2nd Overall Tour de France
1st Stage 13
2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
4th Overall Vuelta a España
4th Overall Tour de Romandie
6th Giro di Lombardia
2008
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall, Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
1st Stage 3
1st Stage 4 Paris–Nice
2nd Overall Tour de France
Held Maillot Jaune Jersey yellow.svg From Stages 10–14
2nd La Flèche Wallonne
2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
3rd Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
1st Stage 2
7th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
2009
1st MaillotMundial.PNG Road Race World Champion
2nd Overall Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
1st Stage 5
2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
1st Stage 1
1st Jersey green.svg Points classification
3rd Overall Vuelta a España
Held Jersey gold.svg Jersey Oro for Stage 8
Held Jersey white.svg Maillot Combinada from Stages 8–11
4th Overall Vuelta al País Vasco
5th La Flèche Wallonne
2010
1st La Flèche Wallonne
3rd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
5th Overall Giro d'Italia
1st Stage 7
1st Jersey red.svg Points Classification
1st Azzurri d'Italia Classification
Held Maglia Rosa for Stage 2
4th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
6th Overall Tour Down Under
Jersey red.svg Most Aggressive rider Stage 5
Tour de France
Held Maillot Jaune Jersey yellow.svg for Stage 9
2011
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour de France
1st Stage 4
Held Jersey polkadot.svg for stages 4–5
1st Jersey blue.svg Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
1st Stage 6
1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour de Romandie
2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné
7th Overall USA Pro Cycling Challenge
8th Overall Volta a Catalunya

[edit] Grand Tour General Classification results timeline

Grand Tour 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Pink jersey Giro 14 - - - - - - - 5 -
Yellow jersey Tour - - - 8 4 2 2 30 26 1
golden jersey Vuelta - - 60 - - 4 - 3 - -

[edit] References

  1. ^ Evans, Cadel. "About Cadel". Official site. Cadel Evans. http://www.cadelevans.com.au/bio.aspx. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
  2. ^ "Cadel Evans". The Name Engine. http://thenameengine.com/name.aspx?id=1897&name=Cadel-Evans&cat=199. 
  3. ^ Matt Price (2 August 2011). "Will Cadel Evans finally win the Tour?". BigPond sport. http://www.bigpondsport.com/will-cadel-evans-finally-win-the-tour/tabid/91/newsid/73884/default.aspx. 
  4. ^ a b Daniel Emerson and Arjun Ramachandran (25 July 2008). "True grit: quirky kid's a tour de force". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/true-grit-quirky-kids-a-tour-de-force/2008/07/25/1216492717814.html. 
  5. ^ Kerry Sharp (25 July 2011). "Cadel fever takes over the Top End". Accidentally Outback. Heartland Publishing. http://www.accidentallyoutback.com.au/news/1087-cadel-fever-takes-over-the-top-end. 
  6. ^ a b c Stephanie Vizard (25 July 2007). "Five things you didn't know about Cadel Evans". Australian Women's Weekly. ninemsn. http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/news/newsstories/8276957/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-cadel-evans. Retrieved 25 August 2011. 
  7. ^ "Cadel Evans". Cycling Archives. http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=5689. Retrieved 11 October 2011. 
  8. ^ "Volvo - Cannondale (MTB) 1998". Cycling Archives. http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ploegfiche.php?id=14819. Retrieved 11 October 2011. 
  9. ^ Michele Ferrari (23 July 2011). "Evans first meets Ferrari". 53x12.com. http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=indepth.view&id=123. 
  10. ^ Rupert Guinness (12 August 2011). "Evans takes time out to pay respects to mentor". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/evans-takes-time-out-to-pay-respects-to-mentor-20110811-1iowi.html. 
  11. ^ Lusetich, Robert (14 August 2008). "Fearless Cadel Evans fails to stand the test of time". The Australian (News Limited). http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24178074-2722,00.html. 
  12. ^ Schlink, Leo (9 August 2008). "Australian cyclist Michael Rogers narrowly misses medal in Olympic road race". The Australian (News Limited). http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24151397-5014104,00.html. 
  13. ^ "Aussie Evans wins road race title". BBC Sport (BBC). 27 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8277583.stm. Retrieved 28 September 2009. 
  14. ^ "Evans To Leave Silence-Lotto". Cycling News. Future Publishing. 31 October 2009. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-to-leave-silence-lotto. 
  15. ^ Evans, Cadel; Arnold, R (2009) (hardback). Cadel Evans: Close To Flying. Hardie Grant Books. p. 272. ISBN 978-1740666671. 
  16. ^ Cyclingnews.com (1 October 2009). "BMC confirms Evans signing". Cycling News. Future Publishing. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bmc-confirms-evans-signing. Retrieved 1 October 2009. 
  17. ^ www.letour.fr. "Tour de France – 2010". AMAURY SPORT ORGANISATION. http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/LIVE/us/2000/classement/index.html. Retrieved 17 September 2010. 
  18. ^ "Cadel Evans denies Alberto Contador on stage four". Guardian. Guardian News and Media. 5 July 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jul/05/tour-de-france-stage-four. Retrieved 5 July 2011. 
  19. ^ a b Barry Ryan (24 July 2011). "Cadel Evans wins 2011 Tour de France". Cycling News (Future Publishing). http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-21/results. 
  20. ^ "Evans conquers all with picture perfect time trial". Cycling News. Future Publishing. 23 July 2011. http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-20/results. Retrieved 25 July 2011. 
  21. ^ Guinness, Rupert (24 July 2011). "Awesome Evans destroys rivals to claim tour". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax). http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/awesome-evans-destroys-rivals-to-claim-tour-20110723-1hu43.html?from=smh_sb. Retrieved 24 July 2011. 
  22. ^ a b Reuters (25 July 2011). "Australia bows down before “King Cadel”". Bike World News (BWN Publishing). http://www.bikeworldnews.com/2011/07/25/australia-bows-king-cadel/trackback/. Retrieved 25 August 2011. 
  23. ^ Caldwell, Alison. "Tens of thousands congratulate Cadel Evans". PM (ABC Radio) (Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation). http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3292552.htm. Retrieved 15 August 2011. 
  24. ^ Kelly Ryan (25 July 2011). "Chiara calls for a national holiday". Herald Sun. Australia: Herald and Weekly Times. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/tour-de-france-cadel-evans-silences-critics/story-fn6bfkm6-1226100939497. 
  25. ^ "Awstraliad o dras Cymreig yn ennill y Tour de France" (in Welsh). Golwg360 (Golwg Newydd). 25 July 2011. http://www.golwg360.com/chwaraeon/45079-awstraliad-o-dras-cymreig-yn-ennill-y-tour-de-france. Retrieved 25 July 2011. 
  26. ^ Golwg 21 (43). 10 July 2009. 
  27. ^ Guinness, Rupert (29 November 2007). "Evans recycles his $50,000 award to charities". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/evans-recycles-his-50000-award-to-charities/2007/11/28/1196036987027.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1. Retrieved 26 September 2011. 
  28. ^ "Cadel Evans soutient le Tibet libre". Sportweek. http://www.sportweek.fr/sports/cyclisme/0/cadel-evans-soutient-tibet-libre-49308.html. Retrieved 15 October 2011. 
  29. ^ a b "Photo of Cadel Evans with Flag of Tibet". Phayul.com. 22 July 2008. http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=22047&t=3&c=1. 
  30. ^ "Cadel Evans joins Suit Up and Ride Again in 2011". Orygen Youth Health. 2011. http://oyh.org.au/node/248. Retrieved 26 September 2011. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cadel Evans
UCI Road World Cup
UCI ProTour
UCI World Tour
Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Road World Champions – Men's road race Jersey rainbow.svg
1903–1919
1920–1939
1940–1959
1960–1979
1980–1999
2000–present
Riders on BMC Racing Team
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cadel_Evans&oldid=479086245"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages