During the European winter, Cadel returns home to his Australian base in Victoria and offered the public a chance to ride with him.

Just prior to last Christmas, Cadel took us on a social ride from Hurstbridge Station to Arthurs Creek, through Stathewen and onto Kinglake for a “We remember, we care” ride through communities devastated by the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

The ride gave fans a first look at the rainbow World Champion jersey so well earned after a luckless and unfavourable 2009 season.

The next public ride that Cadel participated in was the Amy’s Ride just into the New Year in memory of Amy Gillet who was fatally struck down in a motor accident while training a few years ago.

The integration with the public and fans has given us another insight into Cadel who is often misunderstood my media. Promotion of a range of merchandise which for now only includes a t-shirt gives us a teaser of what may be available in the future.

The “Don’t stand on my dog!” t-shirt is proudly made in Australia from 100% organic cotton. The organic cotton fabric is a light weight and fits to standard sizes. The main image is screen printed onto the front with a smaller line of “Don’t stand on my dog!” text printed just under the rear neck. A screen print of Cadel’s signature appears at the inside label.

The t-shirt can be ordered through Cadel’s website, available in a range of sizes with postage offered both locally within Australia and overseas. The t-shirt arrived within a couple of days and was nicely packaged in a sealed plastic bag, packed in a blank ‘pizza’ box with a complimentary post card.

The t-shirt only means something to cycling fans and pledges your alliance and support for Cadel. The quality is great, the artwork is clean and the fit is perfect. The styling is current with a somewhat grunge look and feel.

Get your “Don’t stand on my dog!” now while stock lasts and get behind the World Champion.

You can follow Cadel on his website and Twitter as he leads his new team, BMC Racing Team though 2010.

For those wondering, “Don’t stand on my dog!” is a light hearted reference that goes back to Stage 15 of the 2008 Tour de France when Cadel being swamped by reporters and camermen directed his voice at someone who nearly stepped on his beloved dog,  Molly, “Don’t stand on my dog, or I cut your head off!”.

For a limited time Winners Bars have packaged the Cadel Evans Range of Energy Bars & Gels for AU$60

24 Cadel’s Mountain Mix Bars
12 Lemon Lime Energy Gels
12 Berry Burst Energy Gels

Cadel’s Mountain Mix combines the goodness of berries, nuts, currants, seeds, dates and grains in a light and delicious energy bar. Box of 12. RRP $24

Winners Energy Gel Berry Burst provides a fast, great tasting energy boost when you really need it. 24 × 40g sachets. RRP $48

Winners Energy Gel Lemon Lime provides a fast, great tasting energy boost when you really need it. 24 × 40g sachets. RRP $48

Winners Cadel’s Mountain Mix and Energy Gels are used and recommended by champion cyclist Cadel Evans.

For more information and to purchase the special pack visit the Winners Bars website.

The Italian handcrafted shoes are made from Lorica and nylon mesh for ventilation with a microfibre lining that for a perfect and comfortable fit. An incredibly stiff and light-weight carbon outer sole ensure  power is transferred through your legs via the pedals to the road. The sole features the standard three mounting holes for popular road cleats types.

Each shoe is secured to your feet with two locking velco straps and a micro-adjustable buckle. The built-in heel cup ensures stability within the shoe. A removable perforated leather inner sole provides additional air circulation. Components such as buckles and heel pads are replaceable making sure you will get increase longevity from the shoe.

The biggest test for me was riding with them on my virgin 210km Around the Bay ride last month in Melbourne, Australia. I can now say that I didn’t even think about the shoes which is a good thing. No sore spots and no signs of blistering. The Gaerne G.Kangaroos are truly comfortable and can be worn for long rides without any problems – If they’re good enough for the World Champion Cadel Evans, they’re good enough for me!

As to be expected from a top of the range road cycling shoe, Gaerne tick all the boxes for quality and style.

For more information check out the Gaerne website.

Picture above: Cadel Evans on his way to becoming the 2009 Road Cycling World Champion

Reviewed by Lakers