AS Cadel Evans stood on the Tour de France dais this morning as the first Australian winner of the revered event, his emotions were divided: by joy for making a dream come true, relief for having ridden a near-perfect race and sorrow for a lost dear friend.
After the race, Evans was still struggling to come to terms with the magnitude of his victory.
''I have to reflect on it a bit … it's been an amazing thing, a real pleasure, this whole three weeks,'' Evans said. ''A few people always believed in me, I believed in me … we did it.''
Evans bounded up the steps onto the podium, taking deep breaths, then appeared at the top looking calm and waved the bouquet he received in the air.
"I just want to say thank you to everyone who has had faith in me ... everyone from my teammates to my friends, my colleagues and also my competitors and everyone from the 2011 Tour de France," Evans said.
The 34-year-old was quick to praise rivals Andy Schleck and his brother Frank who finished third overall.
"I think it’s just been a beautiful race and thanks to these two brothers here ... I think it was a fantastic experience for everyone involved and I couldn’t be happier than to be standing right here in the middle, Evans said on the podium flanked by the Schleck brothers.
"What can I say? I've been dreaming of winning the Tour de France for the past 20 years, ever since I was a 14-year-old," said Evans after stepping off the podium where pop star Tina Arena sang Advance Australia Fair in his honour.
Before his triumphant arrival in Paris, the 34-year-old Victorian said he had yet to absorb the enormity of a feat likened to Australia's 1983 America's Cup win, and as one of the last frontiers in Australian sport.
Asked what he felt about claiming the leader's jersey in Saturday's time trial to secure a virtually insurmountable lead - and how it had been equated with that America's Cup victory - Evans said: ''I would have to have been pretty young back then. I don't think we even had a TV. Between now and the Champs-Elysees [the finish line] I have time to digest everything. Now I'm keen to go to the [team] bus and have a little 'chin chin' with the guys.''
Evans paid a tribute to Aldo Sassi, his Italian trainer, mentor and dear friend who died last December from a brain tumour. Evans stumbled a few times as he spoke of Sassi as a member of his extended family. ''It was Aldo Sassi who believed in me,'' Evans said, his eyes glistening. ''He often believed in me more than I did.''
While Evans was setting off for central Paris from Creteil, his wife, Chiara Passerini, was taking up position at the finish line, waiting in the same city that Evans asked his Italian sweetheart to marry him.
''I feel as if I am a spectator,'' she said. ''I'm here with my body physically, but I feel like I'm floating.''
A beaming Jim Ochowoicz, the president of the American BMC team that Evans has ridden for since the start of last season, summed it up: ''This is great for Cadel. This is great for the team. This is great for cycling.''
Evans laughed when asked about reports of an Australian public holiday in his honour. ''If it's OK for the economy that's OK by me - thanks, Julia [Gillard].''
Evans's journey was not without heartache. His Tour record includes coming eighth on debut in 2005, followed by fourth in 2006 and then second in 2007 and 2008. At long last, he has made the breakthrough he deserves.
with Samantha Lane
