As I press my fingers to the keys Cadel is saddling up and about to mount his 900gram 20,000 machine to ride where no other Australian has ridden before, the winner's Podium in Paris
For the few riders who achieve this in their career there is no greater feeling. Cadel Evans has had to overcome considerable obstacles.
Over the past decade Cadel has been an outsider to other riders in the sport. A softly spoken giant despised by many European riders. A number of these riders in my view are the reason why Cadel has not won the Tour De France before.
Stage 18 was a good example of his overcoming, Cadel just kept superseding adversity, a thing of pure beauty. The peloton continued to punish Cadel by making work hard at the front. It was a class act by Cadel to overcome the way he was treated.
When Cadel stands up with the yellow jersey tonight spare a thought for what he has overcome, not only has beaten the world's best riders, he has surpassed their inward attitude towards outside riders.
Cadel you're an inspiration of hard work and integrity, Australia says, thank you.