Radio Australia Today Editorial

Cadel Evans. I Think I Can. And He Did

28 July 2008

A few hours ago Australia’s Cadel Evans came second in the Tour De France. He was race favourite, but could not quite overcome that monolith that is the opposing CSC team. Congratulations from the Breakfast Club to them.

As for Cadel, it’s a funny thing that some people might consider second place to be nowhere. To them the fact that Cadel beat dozens of the world’s best cyclists, including formidable teams, means nothing. It’s first or its nothing.

Silly attitude that probably comes from old fashioned school days where the first person past the past in schoolyard foot races was the only person who mattered.

Wrong. Cadel Evans has managed, on two consecutive years, to beat almost everyone in one of the most grueling races in history. In single days he had to climb two mountains, and managed to do it ahead of most of the pack.

Coming second in a football final, a tennis grand slam, a Formula One Grand Prix or a golf tournament is no shame. You beat everybody else, and came close to being the number one.

Go Cadel. Aussieland is proud of you. So is this little cyclist who would never have any hope of doing a twentieth of what you can do.
– Phil