Evans on the brink of winning Tour de France

Expectant Australians heaped praise on Cadel Evans on Sunday as he closed in on Tour de France victory and the prospect of securing one of his nation's greatest sporting achievements. Evans, 34, was on the brink of making history as Australia's first winner of the world's greatest cycling race in Paris later on Sunday, in a victory that will be met with jubilation across the sports-mad nation. The two-time runner-up in the gruelling event, seized the leader's yellow jersey for the first time in this year's race when he overhauled overnight leader Andy Schleck in the penultimate stage time trial on Saturday. BMC leader Evans finished second behind stage winner Tony Martin of Germany but will go into Sunday's final stage, a 95-km run from Creteil to Paris -- which is traditionally not disputed by the overall contenders -- as the new race champion. "It's going to be one of the biggest sporting achievements that an Australian has ever (done). It's humongous," Matt White, Australia's national road cycling co-ordinator, told the Sun-Herald. "It will be a very proud moment to hear Advance Australia Fair playing in Paris for Cadel Evans -- he has shown amazing determination to win the most prestigious bike race in the world," Arbib said in a statement. Evans's father, Paul Evans, said his son had gone through a great deal in his life to win the Tour de France. "I don't think it has really sunk in. It's been seven years he's been trying to do it and it's finally happened," Evans senior told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "He's gone through a lot. He was telling me the last time he was here that it's not the physical pain and the training, it's the time away from your family. "It's a big sacrifice. He's basically lived out of a suitcase for about 20 years now, just from one hotel to the other." Evans's impending triumph was the biggest thing to happen to the sport in Australia, Cycling Australia boss Graham Fredericks said. "The Tour de France is an iconic event and it's a very significant moment for our sport, but I also think just for Australian sport in general, this is right up there," Fredericks told reporters. Evans, who finished second in the tour by 23 seconds in 2007 and 58 seconds in 2008, also defied race history, as only four times in the past 50 years had anyone come from behind to take the tour lead in the final time trial, the newspaper said. Evans was set to elevate himself into Australian sporting immortality by being crowned Tour de France champion, Australian Associated Press said. AAP compared his imminent triumph with Australia's biggest sporting moments, such as Australia II winning the 1983 America's Cup off Rhode Island, which prompted a public holiday. Evans was asked for his thoughts about the possibility of Prime Minister Julia Gillard declaring a public holiday in honour of his victory, and told AAP: "If it doesn't hurt the economy, that's fine by me. Thanks Julia." With victory, 34-year-old Cadel would become the oldest winner of the Tour in the 88 years since Henri Pelissier finished on top in 1923 and only the third non-European winner -- following Americans Lance Armstrong and Greg LeMond -- since the race began in 1903, AAP said. The first Australian rider to compete in the Tour de France was in 1914, but it wasn't until 1981 that an Australian, Phil Anderson, wore the yellow jersey for the first time