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Bravo Cadel – champion of the world
Cadel Evans’ victory in the 2009 UCI World Road Championships in Mendrisio Switzerland is like a Hollywood movie come true. It means Cadel will not only be the home town favourite when the championships come to Geelong in 2010 but the defending champion.
Cadel made a decisive attack on the last climb of the last lap of the gruelling 262.6 kilometre race. The
finish line was still five kilometres away but Cadel
never faltered. By the time he crossed the line he had
a 27 second margin over second place finisher Russia’s Alexandr Kolobnev. Spaniard Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver was third.
Media from around the world was on hand to record Cadel’s stunning victory which has elevated our city’s profile even more within the international cycling community. In post race interviews Cadel was quick to mention Geelong – he spends every summer in Barwon Heads. He is also an ambassador for the 2010 world championships which will be held between 29 September and 3 October next year.
Cadel is one of the stars of international cycling. He has twice finished second in the Tour De France and just before competing in the world championships in Switzerland he came third in the 2009 Tour of Spain.
Riders who win the world championships receive the coveted rainbow jersey – a white top with five colored bands. Only the reigning champion is entitled to wear the jersey in competition.
For every race that he competes between now and the world championships in Geelong Cadel will wear the rainbow jersey.
During the week of the championships Cadel spoke at a special evening held to showcase Geelong and Melbourne as the host cities for the 2010 championships. That was the Thursday night. Cadel’s triumph in the elite men’s road race was still three days away.
In the mean time another Australian Jack Bobridge had already won a gold medal in the under 23 time trial.
The two gold medals meant Australia finished at the top of the medal tally at the conclusion of the 2009 championships. It sets us up for a sensational ‘home’ defence in Geelong in 2010.
The world is coming to Geelong
Tour de France stars and Olympic champions are bound for Geelong - host city of
the 2010 UCI Road Cycling World Championships.
The world championships are contested by national teams the same as the
Olympics. Australia’s best cyclists, people like Robbie McEwen, Stuart O’Grady
nd Michael Rogers, will don the green and gold and compete as a team against the
best from Europe,
Asia and North America.
Geelong won the right to host the championships in part because of its
challenging circuit that takes in
the hills south of the Barwon River as well as our beautiful waterfront and downtown area.
The home town advantage could result in Australia’s first ever victory in the road race world championship.
Don’t be surprised to see Barwon Heads’ favourite son Cadel Evans in contention at
the finish of the men’s elite road race.
Another name to watch is local Leigh Howard, said by some to be one of Australia’s
most promising riders. New to the senior ranks he won a world championship on the track in March this year and will be pressing for a place in the road team next year on his home turf.
Cycling in Europe attracts a fanatical following. The 2007 world championships
at Varese in northern Italy were covered by 105 television stations, equating to a world wide
audience of some 400 million people.
In addition to the television audience we anticipate about 250,000
people, visitors and locals, will be in Geelong watching the racing.
Community events will coincide with the race. Just as in Europe there will
be places where families can enjoy a picnic or café meal while watching the action.
Mark the dates 29 September to 3 October 2010 in your diary. The world is coming and you can see all
the action free right here in Geelong.
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