Having spent the last three weeks engrossed by the Tour de France (thank heavens for i-view) it is time to return to normal life. No more dizzying descents or lung-busting climbs. No more immersion in the mountain scenery of France or the gateaux of Gabriel. Back to the streets and burbs of Sydney and every day cycling.
I do feel though that Cadel should be honoured in some way. There has been a suggestion by a City of Sydney Councillor to rename the College St cycleway after Cadel, but this seems totally inadequate. The gradient is only a few percent, he wouldnt even change gears. A road much more reminiscent of the Alps is required. Thinking deeply about this I feel it must be Lilyfield Rd. This has a couple of steep bits, a nice plateau for some serious team work and a long downhill middle section where car doors provide the death defying moments. The finish at Victoria Rd has a nasty little right turn onto the footbridge to sort out the sprinters. No cobblestones but there are some good sized bumps near Catherine St.
So there it is, Route Cadel Evans, which my wife tells me is what the French would call a Road. Or the Greenway could be renamed the Piste Cyclable Cadel Evans, which is French for cycleway, not drunken louts in lycra.
If you agree, drop a line to the Mayor and we might get this to happen.