From Evans to O'Connor? The Australians Who Conquered the Tour
- Jasper Cormick
- Jul 11
- 5 min read
The Tour de France is one of the most gruelling and intense sporting events as competitor’s dual across the 21-stage circuit. The course is a race through France and its neighbouring countries concluding in Paris that crowns an incredibly deserving winner.
Australia, while not displaying consistent success on the grand stage, have accomplished some incredible and ground-breaking feats.
The first Australians competed over a century ago, and Australian’s have notched 39 Stage victories in this time, a feat now conquered by fifteen different Aussies.
But some performances that Australians have displayed have stood the test of time in Australian cycling folklore:
Cadel Evans (2011) -
"I can't quite believe I've done it."
Cadel Evans is Australia’s consensus greatest ever and is the only Aussie to win the illusive overall title in the Tour de France.
His victory is the most iconic and monumental moment in the history of Australian cycling. It is also one of the most dramatic finishes in the race’s history, as Evans triumphed in Grenoble.
He secured the riveting victory overcoming a 57 second deficit to Andy Schleck, showcasing pure grit and determination.
There were many that doubted Cadel Evans, he wasn’t getting any younger being 34 years old. Evans became the second oldest overall winner in the post-war era.
Evans defied the odds and secured the overall victory in the Tour de France that is the cornerstone of his legendary cycling career enhancing his legacy as Australia’s greatest cyclist.
Michael Rogers (2014) –
"I just accepted the person who I was."
In the lead up to the 2014 Tour de France, Michael Rogers had spent over a decade on the quest to notch a stage victory at the Tour de France.
And to add fuel to the fire, he had just served a 4-month suspension for the use of an anabolic agent clenbuterol that he was cleared post suspension of any wrongdoing.
Rogers was as determined as ever, however the 237.5 km route from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon would be no easy feat in Stage 16.
Rogers described the lead up to this moment as “a lesson in life for me”, and that he “just accepted the person who [he] was.”
The boy from Canberra broke away with 21 other riders at the beginning of the race and was “riding smarter at this point of his career.”
Rogers broke away from his competitors on the final descend, claiming his maiden Tour de France victory, in the ultimate display of his hard work and dedication.
Rohan Dennis (2015) –
“One day that first will come, and it will be the happiest day of my life as a cyclist.”
Stage 1 of the Tour de France in the Dutch City of Utrecht were some of the harshest conditions of the 2015 edition. Brutal heat and humidity trademarked the 13.8km time trial.
The man that handled these conditions the best… Aussie Rohan Dennis.
At the time, Dennis recorded the fastest time ever recorded in a Tour de France time trial, riding at 55.446 km/h.
“One day that first will come, and it will be the happiest day of my life as a cyclist” said Dennis in the leadup to the 2015 Tour de France.
The happiest day of his life sure did arrive, as he became only the 7th Aussie to claim the yellow jersey and officially be leading the Tour de France.
Michael Matthews (2022) –
“I have been consistent which is good, but you need to win.”
The most impressive ride of Michael Matthews career came at Stage 14 of the 2022 Tour de France. The 192.5 km route from Saint-Etienne to Mende plays out under scorching heat and provides for immense difficulty.
The 2022 Tour de France had been a consistent yet disappointing one for Matthews, who had notched runner up on both Stage 6 and 8.
He described it as “I have been consistent which is good, but you need to win.”
And win he did, as he overtook Alberto Bettiol in the dying stages before soloing to victory.
Matthews blitzed to the front early, in a move he described as “trying something different” and to “surprise people.”
The Aussie is a competitor, and as he outlined “loves the flight, [especially] with the best guys in the world.”
Jai Hindley (2023) –
"I wanted to come here and be competitive and have some form of success … and I’ve just won a stage of the Tour de France."
Stage 5 of the 2023 Tour de France was a 162.7km climb from Pau to Laruns in Pyrenees and Hindley described Stage 5 as “super hard”.
In his debut Tour de France, Hindley seemed put himself in the right spaces and follow the right wheels to guide him through the tough grind.
The 27-year-old Western Australian broke away on the final climb from the herd and took one of the most unlikely victories.
Hindley became the first Australian since 2015 (Rohan Dennis) to lead the Tour de France, and only the 8th Aussie to win the yellow jersey.
Although the rest of the tour was not what he had dreamed about with a crash on Stage 14 damaging his tailbone, there was plenty of positives to take from Hindley’s first Tour de France.
Hindley managed to finish 7th in overall classification, showing incredible resilience through the final stages.
Now we look to 2025…
"You have to gamble, but that risk has paid off on occasion for me before.”
Australia’s most significant competitor and best chance to take out the 2025 Tour de France is Ben O’Connor.
O’Connor explained he is “ready to take risks” on his quest to become Australia’s second ever overall winner, following in the footsteps of the great Cadel Evans.
However, O’Connor will have to overcome title favourites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, who have won the last five tours between them.
Ben knows he is behind the eight ball when it comes to his rival competitors outlining; “You [have to] play a little bit with fire, and you have to gamble, but that risk has paid off on occasion for me before.”
The 2025 Tour de France will be a marvellous spectacle, and Australia will be behind Ben O’Connor as well as the nine other Aussies at the start line.
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