Andy and Frank are exceptional bike riders and there’s no doubt that one of them will win the Tour de France one day. However, after seeing the dedication, focus, setbacks and time it has taken Cadel to wear the yellow jersey on the Champs-Élysées, nobody was as prepared as him.

I’m having a hard time confirming if this is true or not, but a journalist was telling me that Cadel went out and rode the TT course this morning. Andy and Frank drove in the car for part of it, and the other part they rode in their track suits. Cadel also rode the Dauphiné in preparation for the TdF probably knowing this final TT could be the most important of his life. Simply put, Cadel has seen this race slip through his fingers so many times, nothing was going to stop him from winning.

Many people have been asking me if Frank or Andy will attack on the final stage. The short answer is no. Not even if there was a margin of only a few seconds. The Champs-Élysées is more cerimonial than anything. It would be futile for anyone to attack unless there were time bonuses at the intermediate springs (which there are not). The race for the points classification could be won or lost on the Champs-Élysées, and that’s often what the final stage is about. I think Cav has it all sewn up.

Congratulations Cadel. I reckon you’ve earned this a hundred times over and no one can ever take this away from you. All the major contenders were there to win and you came out on top. I can’t believe we thought 57 seconds was gonna be close.

Now, will Julia Gillard declare a national holiday on Monday?

P.S. if you want a shot at winning Cadel’s BMC, you can buy a raffel ticket here.

P.P.S. Bracks_ashat, how about those 10 sets of Boras you promised?

Bracks_ashat: I’m going to start a bet going on. I will buy willing to buy the top 10 users who get their name in first, Campy Bora ultra wheels, if and only if Cadel Evans ever wins the tour. I say again, if Cadel EVER wins Le Tour, I will be buying 10 users Campy Bora ultra wheels.

Photos

courtesy of Veeral Patel and myself

Stage 20 Results

1 Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:55:33
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:07
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:01:06
4 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:01:29
5 Richie Porte (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:01:30
6 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:33
7 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:01:37
8 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Leopard Trek 0:01:42
9 Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad 0:02:03
10 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
…
55 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Leopard Trek 0:04:44
84 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:05:48
94 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:06:03
153 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:08:26

General Classification after Stage 20

1 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 83:45:20
2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:34
3 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:30
4 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:03:20
5 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:03:57
6 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:04:55
7 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:06:05
8 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:07:23
9 Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:08:15
10 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:10:11
…
72 Richie Porte (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard 2:09:24
78 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Leopard Trek 2:17:58
96 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling 2:37:25
142 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad 3:22:32
163 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad 3:44:00

Points Classification

1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) HTC-Highroad 280
2 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 265
3 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 230
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 208
5 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo 195

Mountains Classification

1 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 108
2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 98
3 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 74
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 58
5 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 56

Young Rider Classification

1 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 83:56:03
2 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne +0:00:46
3 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun +0:07:53