Australia's Favourite Son to Ride in Tour Down Under

Cadel Evan World Road Racing Champion to Ride in TDU in 2010

5 November 2009-Darren Andrews-Perth, Australia-Newsvine-Cadel Evans' new team BMC Racing has been granted and accepted a wild card into the 2010 Tour Down Under held in Adelaide Australia.

Evans' presence in next year's UCI Pro Tour classic was thrown into jeopardy when he quit team Silence-Lotto on Sunday.

The Road Race World Champion was tipped to announce he world ride the 2010 Tour Down Under with new British UCI Pro Tour team Sky but gave race organisers a hard task by signing with BMC, which does not have Pro Tour status.

Evans was pleased with BMC's verbal agreement, which paves the way for him to become the first Australian cyclist to compete in Australia in the road race world champion's rainbow jersey.

"It's privileege 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 Santos Tour Down Under in January," he said.

BMC's wild card invitation also sets up an enthralling battle between twice Tour de France runner up Evans and legendary seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, who will return for he second ride in the Tour Down Under.

Premier Mike Rann said Evans' confirmation was a "great coup for South Australia."

"This may be the only chance to ever see two legends, in Lance Armstrong and Cadel Evans, compete against one another on Australian soil," he said.

The State Government is negotiating with BMC, a Professional Continental team, to fficialy sign off on the details of the wild card.

BMC will be the third team to make its Tour Down Under debut next year. Newly formed teams Radio Shack (led by Armstrong) and Team Sky, from the United Kingdom, have already been given Pro Tour licences.

BMC Is the first team to be offered a wild card for the Tour Down Under. UniSA Australia, the national team, compete under UCI rules allowing one national team entry to each Pro Tour event.

The 2010 Tour Down Under will run from January 17-24.

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