Cadel Evans and Phil Anderson lead an all-star honorary cycling line-up named in honour of Australia’s centenary at the Tour de France.
It is 100 years since Don Kirkham and Iddo “Snowy” Munro were the first Australians to ride at the three-week classic.
But Stuart O’Grady is the glaring omission from the one-off Cycling Australia team.
O’Grady’s doping confession a year ago cost him a certain place among the nine riders.
A few days after his retirement, O’Grady confessed to doping once in 1998.
He started the Tour a record-equalling 17 times, won two stages and wore the yellow jersey as overall leader in 1998 and 2001.
The team was announced at Friday night’s Cycling Australia annual awards function in Melbourne.
Evans also received a standing ovation at the function as his career was celebrated.
He will end his unparalleled 20-year career next February.
Evans became the only Australian to win the Tour with his 2011 triumph.
In 1981, Anderson became the first rider from this country to lead the Tour.
The nine-rider team was split into defined roles and Evans and Anderson predictably were named the two general classification riders.
Robbie McEwen, who won the Tour’s green jersey three times and took out 12 stages, was likewise the obvious choice to be the team sprinter.
O’Grady would have been named the team captain, but that honour went to Australian cycling great Sir Hubert Opperman.
Richie Porte and Michael Rogers are the two main support riders, while Brad McGee and Mark Renshaw were picked as McEwen’s leadout men.
Simon Gerrans, who has won Tour stages and worn the yellow jersey, is the team’s all rounder.
Craig Watson
Guest
I did not know that Hubert "Oppy" Opperman ever rode the Tour de France. I thought his main claim to fame as a champion distance cyclist was winning the 700mile Paris to Brest race in 1931. Three years later he became the fastest ever to cycle from the south coast of England to the north coast of Scotland.