Tour de France champion Cadel Evans has never been one to take the easy path in life.

But standing in a courtroom in southern Ethiopia alongside his wife Chiara last month, his emotions were all over the place.

After answering seven questions from a judge, the Evans were handed custody of one-year-old Robel who had been abandoned in the streets of Shashamane at just six months of age.

The cyclist's head was still spinning at BMC's season launch in Spain on Thursday.

"You come back from the courtroom in a taxi and this time you can walk out the door (of the childcare centre) with him," Evans said.