Good Evans...

JAPANic

Cadel Evans's mum, Helen, collects his award from Peter FitzSimons.

Cadel Evans's mum, Helen, collects his award from Peter FitzSimons.
Photo: Craig Golding
Latest related coverage

* Multimedia: Sports Performer Awards

Advertisement
Rupert Guinness
November 28, 2007 - 8:58PM
Page 1 of 2 | Single page

Presented by Colonial First State Performer of the Year

THE world's No.1 road cyclist, Cadel Evans, pledged to donate his $50,000 winner's prize to charity after he was named the Herald's Sports Performer of the Year.

The 30-year-old, who finished second in this year's Tour de France and first in the Pro Tour series that ranks the world's best riders, said he would donate the money to two charities after he was crowned at an official reception at the SCG.

Evans had been voted the best performer of the year from six other nominated sports stars by Herald and Age readers in an exclusive online poll.

The first charity is the Amy Gillett Foundation. A former Australian rower and cyclist, Amy Gillett was killed on the eve of a stage race in Germany on July 18, 2005, when she and her Australian teammates were struck by a car.

"It is my way of saying thank you for the support everyone has given me here," Evans said via satellite

"I think the Amy Gillett Foundation would be a much worthier benefactor [of the money] than me."

Evans said his ride in the Tour that year, after waking up early on July 19 to hear of Gillett's death, was also a career "turning point".

In his first Tour, with the race deep in the mountains, and not figuring on the leaderboard in stage 16, Evans tapped into his emotions to finish fourth in the stage and regain a place in the top 10 overall

His effort set him up to finish in Paris in eighth position.

Evans's effort, which came after a disastrous spell with his former T-Mobile team, which failed to support him during the race, also salvaged his reputation and helped make him the Tour contender he is today.

"That day was probably a key turning point in my career, for me as an athlete and as a bit of a role model for people," Evans said.

He then added in homage to Gillett: "It was the least I could do", repeating what he had said at the finishing line that day amidst huffs and puffs of exhaustion. "But it would have been much better had I won."

Evans also said he would give a share of the prize money from his award to Ian Thorpe's Fountain for Youth, set up by the former Olympic swimming star to alleviate and treat illness and disease in people under 20.


Page 2 of 2

Presented by Colonial First State Performer of the Year

THE world's No.1 road cyclist, Cadel Evans, pledged to donate his $50,000 winner's prize to charity after he was named the Herald's Sports Performer of the Year.

The 30-year-old, who finished second in this year's Tour de France and first in the Pro Tour series that ranks the world's best riders, said he would donate the money to two charities after he was crowned at an official reception at the SCG.

Evans had been voted the best performer of the year from six other nominated sports stars by Herald and Age readers in an exclusive online poll.

The first charity is the Amy Gillett Foundation. A former Australian rower and cyclist, Amy Gillett was killed on the eve of a stage race in Germany on July 18, 2005, when she and her Australian teammates were struck by a car.

"It is my way of saying thank you for the support everyone has given me here," Evans said via satellite

"I think the Amy Gillett Foundation would be a much worthier benefactor [of the money] than me."

Evans said his ride in the Tour that year, after waking up early on July 19 to hear of Gillett's death, was also a career "turning point".

In his first Tour, with the race deep in the mountains, and not figuring on the leaderboard in stage 16, Evans tapped into his emotions to finish fourth in the stage and regain a place in the top 10 overall

His effort set him up to finish in Paris in eighth position.

Evans's effort, which came after a disastrous spell with his former T-Mobile team, which failed to support him during the race, also salvaged his reputation and helped make him the Tour contender he is today.

"That day was probably a key turning point in my career, for me as an athlete and as a bit of a role model for people," Evans said.

He then added in homage to Gillett: "It was the least I could do", repeating what he had said at the finishing line that day amidst huffs and puffs of exhaustion. "But it would have been much better had I won."

Evans also said he would give a share of the prize money from his award to Ian Thorpe's Fountain for Youth, set up by the former Olympic swimming star to alleviate and treat illness and disease in people under 20.

Evans revealed that Thorpe had visited the Northern Territory Aboriginal commune of Barunga where Evans lived until the age of three.

"He has been there with his Books for Kids program and helping them with literacy up in the Northern Territory in particular," Evans said.

"Literacy is really a key area where we as Australians can really help them [Aborigines] as a culture.

"If they can't read they can't take their medicine to get better. Nor can they get a job.

"It's a really complicated problem.

"There are a lot of complicated problems there.

"And I don't want to take anything from their culture. But if they want any help from our culture they are going to have to be able to read.

"It's a key issue in helping them survive in this society as it is today."

The Australian cricket team was voted the Team of the Year by a panel of Herald and Age experts.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy was awarded the prize of Coach of the Year and Storm and Kangaroos winger Israel Folau, 18, was the Young Performer of the Year.

Evans will also head the field in the Tour de Cadel charity ride in Sydney from St Leonards to Centennial Park on Sunday to raise funds for the David Peachey Foundation supporting indigenous children.

Competitors wishing to ride alongside Evans can still sign up online at http://www.cycling.org.au.

Registrations close on Friday, but are limited to 800 riders.Cadel Evans recycles his award to charities

__________________
Find your ideal riding partner. Anywhere in the world!!!

classic1

Bewdy!

Scotttri

Deserved winner

coneofsilence

Go Cadel!!!