Australian Evans wins Tour de France

PARIS -- Cadel Evans has been keeping fans back home up all night watching him become the first Australian to win the Tour de France. Over the years, Evans has been better known for failing to live up to expectations than for overachieving.

He finished second in the 2007 Tour and was expected to win the next year, but was runnerup again. Last year, he was leading the race but crashed and fractured his left elbow. The pain was too much and he dropped out of contention in tears, ultimately finishing 50 minutes behind winner Alberto Contador. This time, persistence and planning paid off.

"I hope I brought a great deal of joy to my countrymen, my country," Evans said Sunday after climbing onto the winner's podium on the Champs-Elysees. "It's been a pleasure and an honor to fly the flag over here."

Evans, 34, the oldest champion since before World War II, stood on the podium wrapped in his national flag, his eyes tearing up as he listened to the Australian national anthem.

He then embraced Andy and Frank Schleck. The brothers from Luxembourg had pushed him all the way to the end, but were finally defeated by his solo strength in Saturday's race against the clock.

On the traditional Tour victory lap on Paris' Champs-Elysees, champagne in hand, Evans seemed to stop to celebrate with just about every fan bearing an Australian flag.

This was a very different Tour from the ones of the recent past that have been dominated by a single rider -- Lance Armstrong or Contador. At least seven riders could have won it with only a few days remaining.

Contador, who is fighting a legal battle to hold on to last year's victory after a positive drug test, faded away in the final stages and finished fifth.

Evans' final margin of victory over Andy Schleck was 1 minute, 34 seconds, but all of that was achieved in Saturday's time trial. Evans hadn't panicked when Andy Schleck had jumped ahead on the climb of the Galibier pass on Thursday and then took the overall lead in Friday's last mountain stage.

The Tour was also notable for the hard work of Thomas Voeckler, who defied all predictions to wear the yellow jersey as race leader for 10 days, delighting the victory-starved French, and for the success of British rider Mark Cavendish, who captured five stages -- including Sunday's final one -- and won the green jersey of top sprinter.

When Evans crossed the line on Paris' most famed avenue Sunday, he was catapulted to global stardom. "I just want to say thank you to everyone who's had faith in me," Evans said atop the winner's podium, with the famed Arc de Triomphe behind, the Schleck brothers at his sides and fans' cheers erupting. "I couldn't be happier than to be standing up right here in the middle."