25 Oct 2012

Tour winner urges fans to keep faith in cycling

5:33 am on 25 October 2012

Australia's 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans has issued an impassioned plea for fans not to abandon cycling, saying the sport has already "changed and moved on" after years of doping controversies.

Evans' comments followed the stripping of Lance Armstrong's seven Tour titles for his central role in a sophisticated, systematic doping scheme.

The Australian's win last year was lauded as a victory for clean cycling.

Meanwhile Tour organisers have unveiled a mountainous route for next year's 100th edition which will start from the island of Corsica and finish for the first time at sunset on the Champs Elysees.