And Quiet wins the race

The tortoise beats the hare, and in horseracing the favourite most of the time does not win the Melbourne Cup.

In Le Tour De France the cyclists are pretty much like fruit place into a blender, all with different flavours and this year’s victor; Cadel Evans is no exception.

In the past there have been winners of this magnificent race that have been bullish, media darlings, reclusive, and others denying their use with drugs.

However in 2011 the Australian Cadel Evans who, since his two close wins (2007, and 2008) and two luckless years that followed, the yellow is now finally his.

Evans is hardly the persona of some of the sprinters who are highly extroverted, instead Evans when interviewed seems humbled and modest, and this was further illustrated by his reaction to the parade made for him to celebrate his historic win.

Upon the stage, he seemed affable and very much appreciative of his support.

The rider who was once criticised for staying behind another rider (called staying on the wheel) rather than trying to pry a gap open in time between he and his opponents (this is called attacking) however it was 2011 he endearing himself several times and defied the critics.

One thing that I feel also helped Cadel come to victory’s nurturing arms was his seeming ability to separate his emotion from the job at hand. In the past we have seen Evans break down after the race (mind you he had a justifiable reason after losing the yellow the same day he got it after breaking an elbow). However this year there are two showing moments that Cadel is more a cool cucumber than before.

In stage 18, finishing on the Great Galibier, Luxembourger Andy Schleck attacked on the Col D'Izoard 60 odd k’s out from the finish. The acceleration was unanswered and if Evans had not chased at the time he did and let more time pry in, surely Evans would have lost Le Tour right there an then. However he did not and while time went up to 4 and a half minutes it was the rider from team BMC that, unassisted pulled back 2 minutes and 15 seconds in 11 kilometres. It was a stunning show, especially when the mind and heart resign to the year being another second place for the former World Champion.

The second moment was Stage 19 to the L’alpe D’Huez where on the first climb of the day, Evans suffered three mechanical issues with his bike and subsequently was left behind the pack of his competition.  Staying calm, he took risks on the descent and received help from a few riders which allowed him to rejoin the pack after kilometres of nervous viewing for the riders who felt that it was a repeat of yesterday’s stage but with a different outcome.

Cadel Evans, a quiet rider and highly modest and appreciative of what he has, has finally achieved what no other Australia has done. Win Le Tour de France.