Where is Cadel?

I'm looking through the starting list at this year’s Tour Down Under and can’t help but notice a glaring omission. Where is Cadel?

As the world's best and most recognized riders make a bee-line to Adelaide, Cadel Evans chooses to by-pass Australia's premier cycle race.

His non-appearance is nothing short of a major disappointment.

Cadel may have valid reasons for not deciding to race in the first big international event of the year, but if fit and healthy, he's missed a golden chance to reward many fans who have watched his every move during his magnificent performances at the last two Tours de France.

Apart from Simon Gerrans who has returned to Spain to fulfill commitments with his new Cervelo Test team, every Aussie rider based in either Europe or North America who is linked with a UCI pro-team, is in Adelaide.

At a time when Cadel's PR skills are under question, all could have been forgiven had he simply made the short trip to South Australia.

I understand the Tour Down Under is far too early in the season for some whose focus is to conquer the bigger European races later in the year.

But the same can be said for the likes of Jens Voigt, Luis Leon Sanchez, Oscar Pereiro, George Hincapie, Gert Stegmans and of course Lance Armstrong, just to name a few.

All have programmes this year which take in the Spring Classics, and the Grand Tours of Italy, France and Spain, yet all have made Adelaide their first stop for the new season.

Not that Cadel will avoid Adelaide altogether as he has been invited to appear in the Legends Night as a guest of honour.

Sure, more than 1500 people will attend the ticket-only dinner, but what about the regular punters who cannot afford to rub shoulders with the rich and famous and who stayed up until the small hours of the day last July in a bid to urge their man on to a place on the podium in Paris?

These same enthusiasts have also come to Adelaide to cheer on the sport's stars in what promises to be six days of exciting racing.

Many of us don't expect Cadel to win or perform at his peak at this time of year. Yet, he could have used the Tour Down Under as an opportunity to take in some valuable training, while at the same time acknowledge those who have made him a household name in this country.

This is not a character assassination of Australia's finest cyclist, I genuinely believe Cadel is one of cycling's "Mr Nice Guys" but at a time when the eyes of the world are on Adelaide, and when Australians are leaning on the success of an international sporting hero, Cadel has let us down this time.