Why is Cadel Evans an important part of Australian history?

Cadel Lee Evans (born 14 February 1977) is an Australian former professional road bicycle racer. He was the first Australian to win the Tour de France, in 2011, and the third Australian to win a Grand Tour, after Phil Anderson and Robbie McEwen.

Evans was born in Katherine, Northern Territory, and began cycling at the age of 10. He moved to Europe in 1996 to pursue a professional cycling career, and rode for a number of teams, including Saeco, Mapei, and Predictor-Lotto. He achieved his first major victory in 2002, when he won the Tour de Romandie.

In 2007, Evans joined the Silence-Lotto team, and finished second in the Tour de France. He repeated this feat in 2008, behind Carlos Sastre. In 2009, Evans moved to the BMC Racing Team, and finished third in the Tour de France.

Finally, in 2011, Evans achieved his dream of winning the Tour de France. He finished the race with a lead of 1 minute 34 seconds over second-placed Andy Schleck. Evans' victory was a historic moment for Australian cycling, and he became an overnight national hero.

In addition to his Tour de France victory, Evans has also won a number of other major races, including the Critérium du Dauphiné, the Tour de Suisse, and the Giro di Lombardia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest cyclists of his generation, and his achievements have made him an important part of Australian sporting history.

Evans retired from professional cycling in 2015, and is now a cycling commentator and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, an annual road cycling race held in Victoria, Australia.