Cadel Evans, the recent Australian winner of the Tour de France 2011, flew home to Australia today with his plane landing at Melbourne Airport. Evan is the first Australian to win the Tour de France.
Evans said ”It's always nice to come home and get a hug from your mum. It was a long trip, but I’m just happy to be here and happy that everyone is so appreciative to have me home, and I've been enjoying a good July and a great Tour de France. I'm glad to be able to come home and celebrate it with everyone that's supported me for all this time."
A huge crowd of thousands of people cheered him later in the day at his homecoming parade through the streets of Melbourne, where he grew up. Evans pedalled slowly down St Kilda Road as he zig-zagged across the street, shaking hands with flag-waving fans lining the short route to a packed Federation Square. Two young bike riders from Victoria, who had been randomly chosen, ride with him. They were Jerome Bechaz, 14, from the Latrobe Valley and 16-year-old Olivia Verey, of Sale. Other young cyclist from across Victoria made up Evans Team in the welcome home parade. Jerome said "To notice that he (Evan) started riding when he was about 14 years of age and he didn't actually start riding the road until he as about 20. For him to come from a mountain bike to a road bike gives you inspiration that you don't have to start early to do a sport you can start whenever and see how good you are."
Cadel Evans has been blown away by the response from Australians and inundated with messages of support. Cadel said "When you're riding the Tour de France you're pretty concentrated on each day and each race and so sometimes your forget there's 20 million people at home cheering you on, there's just so much going on in the moment. I'm just happy that everyone enjoyed following it and seeing it, and to come out on top finally on the Champs-Elysees was a culmination of many, many years of work from a lot of people. It’s been so appreciated by everyone. It’s an honor and a pleasure.”
After the celebrations in Australia Evan will fly to the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado where he will race against Tour de France runners up Andy and Fränk Schleck
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