Cadel Evans to retire after 2015 Tour Down Under
Australian Cadel Evans will call time on his illustrious cycling career after his 'home' tour in February 2015
Australian Cadel Evans, winner of the 2011 Tour de France, will retire on February 1. According to Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 37-year-old will ride the Tour Down Under from January 17 to 25 and the Great Ocean Road Race that carries his name on February 1, and then quit cycling.
The Italian newspaper reported today that Evans will officially end his 14-year professional cycling career with the Tour Down Under and then continue to the 1.1-ranked Great Ocean Road Race near his home in Melbourne, Victoria. Afterwards, he will take on an ambassador role with his team BMC Racing.
Evans joined BMC Racing after winning the 2009 World Championship road title near his European home in Mendrisio, Switzerland. He helped the team jump from the second to the first division ranks and led it to the 2011 Tour de France title ahead of Andy Schleck. He continued in the grand tours, this year wearing the pink jersey in the Giro d'Italia and on Sunday, finishing 52nd in the Vuelta a España.
He next races in the 2014 World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain, on September 28. Even if he were to win a second world title, his career would come to an end according to today's article.
Evans, or 'Cuddles' as he is sometimes referred to, last won the Giro del Trentino in Italy on April 25 and two stages of the Tour of Utah in the USA this August. According to Pro Cycling Stats, he counts 29 road wins.
He began his road career after cycling to two mountain bike World Cup overall titles. With Mapei in 2002, he took the Giro's leader's pink jersey and finished 14th overall.
The Vuelta a España this month marked his 17th Grand Tour, which also included two second places in the Tour de France – behind Alberto Contador in 2007 and Carlos Sastre in 2008 – third in the Giro d'Italia and third in the Vuelta a España.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Evans raced for T-Mobile/Telekom from 2003 to 2004, Davitamon-Lotto from 2005 to 2009 and BMC from 2010. After several near misses in the Grand Tours, it clicked with him in BMC's red and black colours.
"There's a couple of blots – in 2004, 2012 and 2013 – but over 18 years, it's not too bad of a career," Evans said at the Giro d'Italia this May.
"In 2012, a virus really knocked me out. I had to take such a break to recover from that. I was more than two months off the bike, and that ruined my 2013 season.
In addition to the Tour, Evans won the 2014 Giro del Trentino, the 2012 Critérium International, the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico, the 2006 and 2011 Tour de Romandie, and the Tour of Austria twice.
"At the age of 34, I became the oldest post-war Tour de France winner in history!" Evans told Cycling Weekly in 2011. "I am kind of proud of that."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
400km a day for a month: Lachlan Morton sets "mind blowing" round-Australia record
EF Education rider completes astounding feat to reduce the record by nearly 25%
By James Shrubsall Published
-
'I don’t know where I’d be without my leg' – Paracyclist Meg Fisher to tackle Ecuador’s Highest Peak, 20,549ft Chimborazo, to help provide life-changing prosthetics for amputees
'I will never forget how people told me to keep my expectations of my abilities low...I’m doing this to see if I can do it and to show others that they can do it too,' says Fisher.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Are Intermarché-Wanty's invisible valves the next evolution in tubeless technology?
The Belgian team's Newmen wheels don't have valves sticking out, but they are still there - just hidden in the rims
By Adam Becket Published
-
CW Live: Olympic champion joins Women's WorldTour; Tom Pidcock tips Van Aert for Cyclo-cross Worlds; Arkéa-Samsic boss 'very interested' in Julian Alaphilippe; Deadline for 2024 Olympics tickets; LEJOG record holder back cycling after hit-and-run
A round-up of all the latest cycling news
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
Tweets of the week: Ineos go for a kickabout in Nice, Tom Pidcock for PM and the next MVDP
A roundup of the best cycling social media content out there from the past week
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
What did we learn from the first elite road races of the year?
Alejandro Valverde is still good; Lotto-Soudal are hungry for results; Biniam Girmay might be a force to be reckoned with
By Adam Becket Published
-
Dutch pro suffers brain haemorrhage after being hit by scooter
Maurits Lammertink was rushed to hospital with serious injuries and underwent brain surgery that night
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
-
Here are the top 10 hissy fits thrown by professional cyclists
When cyclists lose their temper, it can have comical outcomes
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
-
BMC Racing team owner Andy Rihs dies aged 75
Rihs died on Wednesday after enduring a long illness
By Gregor Brown Published
-
Rohan Dennis takes Abu Dhabi Tour lead after time trial victory
BMC rider Rohan Dennis smashes Abu Dhabi Tour individual time trial to move into the overall race lead with just one stage remaining
By Nigel Wynn Published