Cadel Evans is here next month

Tour de France winner Cadel Evans is visiting Docklands next month for an afternoon of fund-raising cycling up and down NewQuay Promenade.

The champion cyclist has again put his hand up to attend on November 25 and compete in Suit Up and Ride – a corporate fundraiser for youth mental health charity Orygen.

Cadel competed in a very low-key Suit Up and Ride event in Docklands last year … but that was before his Tour de France victory.

His new fame is sure to draw thousands of cycling enthusiasts and Docklands businesses are gearing up to greet them.  Docklands News intends to print a special souvenir program of the event.  

As Docklands News went to press it was  unknown if the City of Melbourne was willing to help it to become a large public celebration of Cadel’s achievement.

The Lord Mayor Robert Doyle brokered a meeting late last month between City of Melbourne events organisers and Cadel’s Australian management.  Cr Doyle told Cadel’s team that a proposal needed to be costed and endorsed by councillors.

Regardless of council's endorsement, thousands are expected as the word is spreading about what is likely to be Cadel’s only appearance for the rest of the year.

In August more than 30,000 fans descended on Federation Square shortly after Cadel won the Tour.  On that occasion he rode only a few hundred metres.

At Docklands, he will be competing – which involves team time-trialling on blue Melbourne share bikes for several laps from the Waterfront City Piazza along NewQuay Promenade up to Harbour Esplanade.

To participate in the event, riders must wear their suit, or regular office attire. Last year there were miners and fire fighters – and even someone in a gorilla suit rode.

And it gets just as exciting off the bike.  Clare Bowditch will be performing.

Orygen Youth Health is still looking for corporate teams of five to compete in the event and raise funds for youth mental health. Last year $47,000 was raised through the event, which was spent putting 700 young northern and western suburbs high school students through the acclaimed Headsmart program.