Retired Australian cyclist Cadel Evans happy to spectate in namesake race Down Under

A flash flood hit Geelong, Victoria, in Australia on Wednesday causing widespread damage and leaving 18 people in need of rescue.

However the 42.4mm (1.66 inches) of rainfall could not dampen the spirits of retired Australian cyclist Cadel Evans at the official media conference prior to his namesake’s race on Sunday.

“I just rode on a bit of the course now, and wanted to make sure none of the sides of the road had been washed away,” Evans told reporters on Thursday. “It’s a bit of a concern there, not so much if it’s going to rain or be sunny, more so if the portions of land that the roads go on are going to still be there on Sunday.

“The Minster of Sport, Mr John Eren, told me this morning that it was a ‘once in a 100 years storm’ so that’s good for us for [the next] 100 years of race organisation.”

In its second year, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race features both elite men and women UCI cycling events, as well as a mass participation ride that has attracted more than 4,000 riders including the 2009 world champion and 2011 Tour de France winner himself, who is recovering from a recent knee operation.

The 174-kilometre men’s race was upgraded from UCI 1.1 classification to 1.HC in 2016, while the 113km women’s race was upgraded to 1.2 status. The men’s race, which was won by Belgian sprinter Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep) last year, features three laps of the Geelong circuit, which closely follows the 2010 UCI Road World Championship course. Nine WorldTour squads make the start in a 22-team field that includes 217 riders.

“It’s a perfect weekend for us on so many levels and one being to compliment the Tour Down Under as an event and for riders’ preparations, but also having the them to come and train in good weather,” explained Evans. “And of course [provide] a race that is hard enough to be selective but not so difficult that it’s going to scare people off who want to come and start here at this race, so it’s a bit of a gentle easing into competition because it’s a long season ahead of us.

“We have Mark Cavendish and he’s a pretty firm favourite for the world championships this year at the other end of the season and as much as we would love for him to win here we also hope that guys like he and Ryder [Hesjedal] can go off and prepare here well to have the best season of their careers thus far.”

Hesjedal, who just wrapped up his second straight Tour Down Under last week with his new team Trek-Segafredo, was also in attendance at the media conference and agreed with his fellow grand tour winner.

“It would be great to finish a three-week block down here to start the season and definitely leave Australia with a good feeling and a good result and would only add to everything,” said the three-time Canadian Olympian and 2012 Giro d’Italia winner. “I don’t think there are too many times that professional riders line up and not want to achieve something, and perform for sponsors and fans and everyone that works hard to put on these events – I would love to leave with a big result.”

However for Evans, who finished fifth for BMC Racing last year in what was a highly anticipated conclusion to his illustrious career, is not feeling the itch to compete at this year’s event.

“I’m looking forward to being a spectator,” said Evans. “I’m nervous about the weather, but pretty excited about the whole weekend though.

“I just want to watch the race actually and see how it unfolds.

“Of course last year was a different situation in that I was the race organiser but I was also racing my own race to win it.”

Evans says the reception of the race has been extremely positive within the cycling community.

“What I’ve been told about the race is don’t change anything,” admitted Evans.

“It wasn’t by chance how the race came about, and how it is and when it is,” he continued. “It’s a carefully thought out process and I’d like to think a big part of that is my experience in the sport and my idea where the sport is headed to in the future and we want to be part of that.”

According to Evans, the women’s race is a key component in addressing the future demands of the sport.

“I like to think we offer one of the better organised races on the women’s calendar, and we would like think in the future of achieving a higher international ranking than we already have and maybe be the staring point of the women’s international season,” he concluded. “Last year’s race was a huge success.

“I’d like to think we are giving them a great opportunity to start out their season in a really professional environment.”