Cadel down under

The news of Cadel Evans seriously considering appearing at the 2010 Tour Down Under is fantastic in every way, writes Mike Tomalaris.

The news of Cadel Evans seriously considering appearing at the 2010 Tour Down Under is fantastic in every way.

All Australian cycling fans will now have the chance to congratulate their hero on the roads of South Australia.

If you thought the number of visitors travelling to the TDU will swell simply because of the appearance of Lance Armstrong, I'm sure Evans' decision to race will bolster South Australia's financial coffers even more.

As the reigning world champion, Evans will have the opportunity to wear the rainbow jersey for the first time, and be the first man to do so in the TDU's 12 year history.

He'll also be in the position to personally thank the hundreds of thousands of fans who have stayed up in the small hours of many nights during the past three winters, following his every move at the Tour de France.

To appear on home turf will be a PR exercise Evans cannot afford NOT to do.

At this year's TDU, members of the general public were genuinely disappointed at his decision not to race, despite his making the effort to travel to Adelaide and join Lance for the "Legends Dinner", normally restricted to those who can afford the cost of tickets at the VIP event.

In past years Evans has argued the point - that by appearing at the TDU so early in the new season it would disrupt his preparations for the bigger races later in the year.

However, there may be a change of plan for 2010 now that the Australian is wearing the world championship jersey.

And it's certainly possible that the two-time runner up of the Tour de France may opt for a schedule that does not include the great race.

Others have argued that his poor performance at the Tour de France was a blessing in disguise.

It didn't do him any harm at the Vuelta and the Worlds - did it?

Whether he likes it or not, Cadel Evans is a national sporting hero, hence he has a responsibility to his millions of supporters.

Even more reason why his presence in South Australia next January will be a celebration not to be missed.