Ode to Cadel

The whole country has celebrated the brilliant triumph of Cadel Evans in the Tour de France. I watched as much as I could although the late nights didn't mesh too well with a week of early starts at work. Cadel has a house in Barwon Heads, just across the newly opened bridge from Ocean Grove, a bridge that may in fact be named in his honour if locals have their way. A succession of towns around the country have laid claim to him. He was born at Katherine in the Northern Territory, grew up on an Aboriginal mission, and has lived in various places such as Armidale NSW, Eltham Vic and Switzerland! He spends his Summers at Barwon Heads apparently, and is a neighbour of Ian Cover from the Coodabeen Champions. When questioned about where he comes from as Cadel rightly describes himself as "Australian".

Hopefully there'll be a big public reception to welcome Cadel "home" to Barwon Heads/Geelong/Victoria.

In the meantime, a bloke called Peter Dooley, from Greenwood WA (we used to live there a long time ago) wrote this ode to Australia's newest sporting hero. It was published in today's Addie (The Geelong Advertiser) and I thought it was worth sharing.

If Bradman rode a bicycle

I bet he'd go like hell

But we don't need another Bradman

Cos now we've got Cadel

A heart bigger than Phar Lap

He's dancin' on his toes

He's climbing off the canvas

Just like Lionel Rose

He rode just like a demon

Through high water and hell

The boy from Barwon Heads

The man they call Cadel

He was down for the count

He was nearly on his knees

But he dragged himself and half the field

Up the Pyrenees

They said history was against him

That the gap was just too great

And when his bike broke down beneath him

They began to commiserate

But he jumped back on his bicycle

Took the bit between his teeth

Riding to the rhythm of

The heart that beats beneath

Carrying the hopes of a nation

Against the sands of time

He digs forever deeper

Until the finish line

So let's enjoy the triumph

And raise a glass towards the heavens

And suffer in ya lycra jocks

Cos we've got Cadel Evans

So every kid who has rode a treadly

Grazed a knee or snapped a chain

Every paper round riding warrior

join in this refrain

Cadel's an Aussie legend

And for that we all say ta

Cadel's an Aussie legend

A bloody Malvern Star

 Peter Dooley