EWAN NOT ABOUT TO GET COMFY IN JERSEY
CALEB Ewan is bracing for an all-out attack on his leader’s ochre jersey up Norton Summit in South Australia today as the first decisive stage of this year’s Tour Down Under threatens to rip the race apart.
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.
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 stage from Norwood to Uraidla 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.”
Ewan said he was “really disappointed” with his sprint into Victor Harbor yesterday after he was swamped by Viviani in the closing 200m of the stage.
“I hesitated in the end and it really cost me, I had a perfect lead-out from the boys,” Ewan said.