'Tyranny of distance' weighs against big cycling call

Cadel Evans is intrigued by the revolutionary idea of Australia hosting a Tour de France stage, especially given he's long retired as a pro cyclist.

The 2011 Tour champion, the only Australian to win cycling's most famous event, remains heavily involved in his sport as a race promoter and commentator.

Cycling's three-week Grand Tours, the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, regularly start with stages outside their own borders.

Next year, the Tour's "Grand Depart" will be three stages through Scotland, England and Wales.

But it would be something else entirely to bring a Grand Tour start to the other side of the world.

The San Francisco 49ers and LA Rams faced massive logistical challenges last month to stage their NFL game at the MCG and they didn't have to play again until several days later.

"It would be possible — I wouldn't want to be the one telling the riders," Evans said on Monday.

"But it's never out of the question. There's been talk before … some Grand Tours are maybe considering stages in America.

"I'd be totally open to it, but I wouldn't want to ride it myself. Australia — as we all know, the tyranny of distance — it's pretty far."

There was speculation last summer that the WA government was sounding out Giro organisers.

While a Grand Tour start remains at long odds, the likelihood of cycling superstar Tadej Pogačar returning to race in Australia may well be firming.

Pogacar crashed out of the Vuelta in late August, ending his season early.

Tour Down Under race director Stuart O'Grady has been trying to lure Pogačar to Adelaide for several years. The project took a step forward this year when Pogačar's manager visited and spoke highly of the race.

If Pogačar returned to Adelaide, he would most likely also race at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Geelong the following weekend.

Pogacar competed at the two events in 2019 and last raced in Australia at the 2022 Wollongong world road championships.

"He wants to start his season early, apparently. If he would like to come back to our race, that would be amazing," Evans said.

"When you have the opportunity to see the greatest of all time in any sport, it's pretty unique for any sporting fan."

The Slovenian's stunning run of sustained success has invited comparisons with Belgian Eddy Merckx — until now, cycling's all-time greatest rider.

Evans gives the nod to Pogačar.

"It's unfair to compare periods, but it's a far more competitive environment that we race in now," he said.

"There are so many more specialists in our sport now and he's been an all-rounder, winning everywhere, It's just remarkable, and at such a young age as well [28].

"One thing that's so great about Pogačar, other than that he's just an amazing rider, is he wants to win everything."

Evans, at 174 centimetres, was standing alongside Max Gawn, at 209cm, to announce the Melbourne captain as an ambassador for the People's Ride, held on January 30 before the women's road race at Geelong.

"Particularly someone like Pogačar, he goes beyond our sport — and of course, that's having Max part of it [as well]," Evans said.

AAP