It isn’t every day a pro cyclist becomes a minor YouTube phenomenon, but 32 year-old Aussie Cadel Evans seems to have managed just that thanks to his fiery relationship with the media.
We take a look at Evans’ sparkling career and find out why some journalists might not be getting too close to him again…
Although currently the star of the Silence-Lotto team, Evans wasn’t always a road cyclist. He began his career as a mountain-biker, even winning cross-country World Cups, but decided to switch in 2001.
Initial successes with other teams included a stage win in the Tour of Austria in 2001, wearing the maglia rosa (leader's jersey) for one day at the 2002 Giro d'Italia, and overall win of the Tour of Austria 2004
Despite his talent, Evans was not given the opportunity to ride the Tour de France until 2005 due to his relative inexperience. He received his first opportunity to do so after joining the Silence-Lotto team.
Evans soon justified his team’s faith – he became the first Australian to finish in the top ten overall since Phil Anderson in 1981. He bettered this in 2006 by finishing fourth in the race.
In the 2007 Tour de France, Evans improved yet again and finished runner-up to Alberto Contador.
Evans was a favorite to win the 2008 Tour de France, since Contador’s team Astana was not invited to participate. In spite of wearing the yellow jersey on several stages, he remained 58 seconds behind Carlos Sastre by the end of the Tour.
Evans was named Australian Cyclist of the Year in 2006 and 2007.
Evans employed a bodyguard at the 2008 Tour de France, yet this did not stop him courting controversy. Online footage shows Evans losing his temper on three occasions – yelling and furiously batting away the hand of a journalist from his shoulder, shouting "stand on my dog and I'll cut your head off" at a bystander who collided with his dog, and even going so far as headbutting a TV camera to move it out of the way.
