Ewan’s error opens up race
CALEB Ewan last night admitted he blew a perfect lead-out from his team in Victor Harbor as he braces for an all-out attack on his leader’s ochre jersey in the first decisive stage of the Tour Down Under today.
Italian Olympic gold medallist Elia Viviani yesterday won a shortened Stage 3 from Glenelg to Victor Harbor in 41C heat from German Phil Bauhaus while Ewan was third to retain his 10-second lead as the tour heads for the hills at Uraidla.
But he was left to rue a golden opportunity to win back-toback stages when a moment’s hesitation in the final 200m cost him victory.
“I hesitated in the end and it really cost me, I had a perfect lead-out from the boys,” Ewan said. “I thought it was going to be a block headwind so I really didn’t want to go too early and have another sprinter on my wheel and get rolled at the last minute, so I wanted to get my timing right and Elia got the jump on me.”
Despite his uphill sprint to win a dramatic Stage 2 on Wednesday, the Mitchelton-Scott young gun is realistic about his chances of sticking with the likes of Richie Porte on today’s climb up Norton Summit before the queen stage to Old Willunga Hill tomorrow.
“I don’t know if Whitey (director Matt White) is going to want me to sit up at the bottom (of the climb up Norton Summit) or try to go as long as possible,” Ewan said. “There’s no point going too deep if I’m not a realistic chance of winning and we have guys like Daryl (Impey) who can do really well on those stages.”
Viviani was the TDU’s fourth different winner in four days of racing this week and said the team targeted the stage into Victor by scouting the finish.
“Already from the criterium we understood we could win one stage and that was the goal this week,” he said.
“We needed a few days to understand how to do the leadout and yesterday in Stirling was a good sign for me because you could see me try in a finish that was very hard for me but I am really determined and finally we got this win.
“I asked my guys to be in the top 10 in the last corner and we were eight and nine, and when I saw 200m I thought ‘OK, now or nothing’.
“The legs are good and it’s a good start to the season.”