Evans set to break yellow jersey jinx

SYDNEY - Cadel Evans was on the threshold of claiming one of Australia's biggest sporting achievements by winning the Tour de France, newspapers in his home country said on Sunday.

Evans, 34, was on the brink of making history as Australia's first winner of the world's greatest cycling race in Paris later on Sunday, and an expectant sports-mad nation was waiting to join in the acclaim.

The Australian, a two-time runner-up in the gruelling event, seized the leader's yellow jersey for the first time in this year's race when he overhauled overnight leader Andy Schleck in the penultimate stage time trial on Saturday.