Torment over, now for Tour
AUSTRALIA’S fastest cyclist is bound for the world’s biggest race, with Caleb Ewan given the green light for a maiden Tour de France.
The sprint sensation, who has won stages in the two other Grand Tours — Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana — will next July make his Tour de France debut with Aussie outfit Orica-Scott, renamed Mitchelton-Scott next season.
“Growing up it’s the one race you really want to do and it’s the race I grew up watching. As a rider, this is the one,” Ewan said.
“It’s very exciting. I didn’t think I could ever be as motivated to go into a new season as I am for 2018.”
Ewan’s low-gravity acceleration and explosive finishing speed have drawn comparisons to Australian sprinting legend Robbie McEwen, but he has been made to wait for his Tour berth.
The 23-year-old admitted that being overlooked for the race in recent years had been frustrating.
“I think I’ve been very patient. Ever since I turned pro it’s been my goal to get to the Tour de France and every year the team said ‘no’ it’s been a bit of a blow,” Ewan said.
“I know they had their reasons, but that never really softens the blow of hearing that you won’t do it. It’s very exciting to finally get my go in it.
“‘Whitey’ (MitcheltonScott head sports director Matt White) has been saying ‘you’ll do it next year’ for the last two years. They officially told me at camp (in November) this year but, while it’s exciting, it didn’t really come out of the blue. I feel like it’s been a long time coming. I’m really ready for it.”
Ewan will lock horns with the fastest men on earth from July 7-29, with German powerhouse Marcel Kittel and British superstar Mark Cavendish within an elite field set to swarm over six potential sprint finishes in the first nine days of the Tour.
“I think I’ll be competitive. Whether I can win a stage I don’t know, but I think I can definitely be up there with the best guys,” he said.
“It’s hard to say because it could be that much harder than any other race and I don’t really know what to expect. It’s like going from under-23s to the World Tour; you never know how you’re going to step up to it.”
White said the importance of the development process to get Ewan to Tour de France level couldn’t be overstated.
“It has been a very deliberate process with Caleb. He has been hungry for it the last couple of seasons and it has been a three-year development to get him to where we feel he is ready for it,” White said.
“He has won at the Giro and the Vuelta and the natural progression is that now he gets a crack at the Tour de France.”