Evans to race Tour Down Under
World road race champion Cadel Evans has confirmed he will take on seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in January's Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
South Australian Premier Mike Rann says Evans and his new BMC Racing Team have verbally agreed with Tour officials to accept a wild card invitation.
Mr Rann says it is another coup for the state.
"It will be a great spectacle to see Cadel Evans as world champion wearing the rainbow jersey up against the greatest cyclist of all time, Lance Armstrong," he said.
"It'll just mean the media interest internationally in the race and the world-wide coverage is going to be spectacular."
Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur says the BMC team is the first team to be offered a wild card and is eligible because it is not a ProTour team.
"We've exchanged several emails and phone calls and now it's a matter of preparing the documents. They'll be taken care of in the next few days," he said.
"But certainly speaking with the owner of the team from San Francisco, he is absolutely delighted with the invitation and very proud of the fact that Cadel will be riding for his team for the first time in the rainbow jersey in Australia."
The 32-year-old Evans said via a statement that he was looking forward to the race.
"It's a privilege to be able to present my new jersey and my new BMC Racing Team to the Australian public and the rest of the world at the Tour Down Under in January," he said.
Evans says he will play a support role in the race.
"Tour Down Under for me, it's a little more to honour the Australian public and the support they've given me over the last few years by presenting the rainbow jersey," he said.
"George Hincapie will be our guy to go for a result in the Tour Down Under and I'll be more than happy to help him get a result."