One of the biggest days in Ballarat regional sport history has arrived.
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It is the day Cadel Evans competes in the Cycling Australia Road National Championships road race at Buninyong for the first time since he won the 2011 Tour de France.
That victory is considered one of Australia's greatest ever sporting achievements along with the likes of Rod Laver's grand slam, America's Cup and Adam Scott's US Masters success.
All pinnacle moments in our history.
This is why having Evans racing at Buninyong is so special.
We have all seen him in action on television.
This is an opportunity to see him in the flesh - that unmistakable out of the saddle climbing style.
Few expect him to win, being at the start of a long campaign with major events, including the Giro d'Italia, on his radar.
This is not about winning or losing when it comes to Evans though.
An expected record crowd of 20,000-plus will be testimony to this.
They just want to see him.
And if he did win, against the odds. Wow!
Of course this 183.6km championship race is more than Cadel Evans.
Australia is fortunate to have so many world class road cyclists and this will again be highlighted by the today's line up, which also features past champion and Tour de France stage winner and yellow jersey holder Simon Gerrans, defending champion Luke Durbridge, Richie Porte, Cameron Meyer, Simon Clark, Matt Goss, Matthew Lloyd, Steel Von Hoff and so on.
What a day in prospect.
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