Caleb Ewan out of selection for Australian World Championships

The leaders for the World Championships are slowly taking shape, as Autralia's team coach Rory Sutherland announced that Caleb Ewan will not be racing in his home country - neither is he in the team's reserves.

The Australian team is likely to focus on the ambitions of Michael Matthews as their main leader. A route with over 4000 meters of climbing, featuring several ascents of Mount Pleasant (1Km at 7.7%). On his best level this would already be a large stretch for the 'Pocket Rocket' but 2022 has not been his year and he has not had the same climbing ability that he's shown in the past.

Having been taken out of Milano-Sanremo due to sickness, crashed at the Giro d'Italia and left without a stage win, and then again crash at the Tour de France - to later be absent from the race's sprints has seen the Australian hit a difficult position. This, in a year where Lotto Soudal are urgently chasing points, which his teammate Arnaud De Lie is largely taking care of.

Ewan recently underwent surgery to remove a plate from his collarbone, but has since in the Circuit Franco-Belge and the BEMER Cyclassics not brought a single point to the Belgian team. With only just over a month of racing left, the Australian is expected to be a crucial part of the team's maintenance plan, with pressure to perform.