Cadel Evans becomes first Australian to win the Tour de France

Cadel Lee Evans (born 14 February 1977) is an Australian professional racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam BMC Racing Team and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. In 2007, Evans became the first Australian to win the UCI ProTour. Before turning to road cycling in 2001, Evans was a champion mountain biker, first riding for the Diamondback MTB team, then for the Volvo-Cannondale MTB team, 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. He became the first Australian to win the UCI Road World Championships cycling event on 27 September 2009 in Mendrisio, Switzerland. In 2011, Cadel became the first Australian to win the Tour de France in the race's 108 year history.
IT'S C-Day - the day Cadel Evans joined the greats of Australian sport with his historic win in one of the toughest, longest and most challenging sporting events in the world - the Tour de France.
Wrapped in his national flag and with tears in his eyes, Evans listened as Australia's anthem played after he became the first Australian - and oldest rider since World War II - to win the Tour de France.

"I couldn't be any happier. A few people always believed in me. I always believed in me. And we did it," the 34-year-old Evans said.

"What can I say? I've been dreaming of winning the Tour de France for the past 20 years, ever since I was a 14-year-old," he said after stepping off podium where pop star Tina Arena sang the national anthem in his honour.

"I just want to say thank you to everyone who has had faith in me. Everyone from my teammates to my friends, my colleagues and also my competitors and everyone from the 2011 Tour de France," Evans said.
He celebrated after crossing the finish line in the pack on the Champs-Elysee, embracing riders from different teams as the massive crowd on France's most famous thoroughfare cheered wildly.

Evans bounded up the steps onto the podium, taking deep breaths, then appeared at the top looking calm and waved the bouquet he received in the air.

"Thank you to everyone. It's really incredible," he told the crowd.