Clarke’s word of warning
CALEB Ewan’s tough ride in Sunday’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race shows just how wide is the chasm facing talented young cyclists as they make the progression to WorldTour racing.
His Orica-GreenEDGE teammate Simon Clarke yesterday said Ewan’s experience was a pointer to the adjustment Robert Power will face in the next couple of years.
Ewan, Clarke and Power are among the big names racing in the Herald Sun Tour, which starts this evening with a prologue time trial through the Melbourne CBD.
Clarke is defending champion, while Power (Jayco-AIS Under23s) will be one of his main rivals.
There is much excitement in Australian cycling about Ewan and also about Power, who joins Orica-GreenEDGE next season.
His results in big under-23 European races last year prompted predictions that in the next decade he could follow Cadel Evans and become a grand tour contender.
Ewan is likewise destined for greatness, but he struggled and failed to finish on Sunday.
“He still has a lot of learning to do and I think we saw on Sunday with Caleb that, OK, these guys are . . . super riders, but sometimes they underestimate pro racing,” Clarke said.
“Just because you can sprint fast or ride away from a group of under-23s doesn’t mean you’re going to step into the pros and show them up straight away. Obviously there are guys who make that perfect transition, but it is a big (one).”