The incoming head of Cycling Australia says Cadel Evans will forever be remember in Australian sport alongside such greats as Dawn Fraser, Sir Donald Bradman, Cathy Freeman and Rod Laver.
Evans has announced he'll retire from racing in early 2015 after a stellar career during which he won the world championship road race in 2009 and the Tour de France in 2011.
CA president elect Malcolm Speed says Evans will leave an indelible mark on the world of cycling.
"Australia has a long and proud cycling history but no one has had the sort of impact of Cadel," Speed said in a statement.
"He's one of the select few Australian sports people to have transcended their sport.
"The name of Cadel Evans is one that will forever be celebrated in Australian sport just as Dawn Fraser, Sir Donald Bradman, Cathy Freeman and Rod Laver are."
Speed said the 37-year-old was responsible for improving the health of Australians who'd been inspired by his feats to take up cycling.
Evans himself revealed he was incredibly proud to have helped make cycling more of a mainstream sport.
"At least in my own country I've inspired a lot of people - whether it's to cycle themselves or at least take up sport," Evans told reporters in Ponferrada where the 2014 world championships are being staged.
"This makes me feel satisfied."
The BMC rider said when he started out 20 years ago people in Australia were surprised to hear it was possible to make a living out of cycling.
"That's obviously changed now," he said.
"When 15-year-olds go to parties now and say they're a bike rider the girls' eyes light up as opposed to looking the other way."
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