Caleb Ewan faces some tough luck in the final of Ronde van Limburg: "I managed to connect again, but was already a bit done by then"

A flat tire, a bicycle change, a raging chase and a second place in the final sprint: Caleb Ewan's last kilometers in the Ronde van Limburg were far from ideal. That's why the 28-year old is not overly disappointed over this result, given the unfavorable circumstances.

With just eight kilometers to go, Ewan seemed to have no problems, but then the misery started. “We went to the right, onto the narrow road, and suddenly I had to swerve to the gravel section. Then I punctured. I knew we had car number 17 and it would take a long time to change bikes. I therefore took the bike of teammate Jarrad Drizners, but it was much bigger than my own bike."

“At one point I spotted Michael Schwarzmann. Michael's bike suited me better and so I decided to switch again, but just then the team car arrived. I was able to grab my own bike again, but then I was faced with a tough chase. The peloton was already rolling at full speed at that time. I managed to connect again, but was already a bit done by then," Ewan explains the complicated final of the race.

The Australian, however, managed to position himself well for the sprint. “Rüdiger Selig still did a great job and managed to bring me back to the front. I then had a few seconds to catch my breath, but I did feel the legs in the sprint. Then this is not a bad result, given the circumstances.”