Caleb Ewan takes his first win for Team Jayco AlUla - 'Pocket Rocket' wins Australian criterium national championships
Cycling
In Australia the season is starting with full blast, and at the Australian national championships, Team Jayco AlUla thrive. After it's new signing Luke Plapp won the time-trial, it's other star signing Caleb Ewan was victorious today in the criterium event.
Although the 'Pocket Rocket' will not be wearing a jersey throughout the year due to this win, it comes as a motivating sign in his debut for the Australian team, and a good sign of form ahead of the Tour Down Under. Ewan beat Alpecin-Deceuninck's Jensen Plowright and BORA - hansgrohe's Sam Welsford in the final sprint to take the win in Ballarat.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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- That ship has sailed years agovappaxbipmv19-10-2026
- He doesn't have to. I'd be perfectly happy if he loses SB if he then wins everything elsevappaxbipmv19-10-2026
- Please don't put Remco in the same sentence as Tadej. It's disrespectful to Tadej. Please make a note of this.KissinKate19-10-2026
- ....and you just described how americans are fleecing american fans as well. We don't even get the eurosport coverage you get. What you see on yurrup HBO is not available in this country. Trust me, being a cycling fan sucks everywhere.KissinKate19-10-2026
- While media outlets point to the loss of Richard Carapaz, Kasper Asgreen, and rising talents like Steinhauser as a sign of trouble, this is actually classic EF Pro Cycling tactical pivot at play. Operating on less than half the budget of state-backed super-teams, Jonathan Vaughters smartly maximized Carapaz’s return on investment by turning high salary and health setbacks into Tour stage wins, Yellow, and the Polka Dot jersey, before freeing up vital capital when his valuation peaked. Let us be completely honest here: Carapaz’s departure to NSN is strictly about securing one final massive payday before calling time on his career, rather than building a lasting sporting legacy. EF built a squad around him and gave him tactical freedom that few teams would offer, but given his ongoing health concerns and age, keeping him at that price point represented an unsustainable risk. It is very unlikely he will match the freedom or success he enjoyed at EF with his new team, making this move a pure business decision for a veteran rider cashing in on his remaining value. In contrast, while signing Tao Geoghegan Hart carries its own physical risk, it comes at a vastly different financial scale that protects EF's bottom line while offering immense upside. Replacing that climbing depth won't happen overnight, but bringing in Tao fits EF’s proven reclamation playbook perfectly by providing a low-pressure, culture-first environment for a proven Grand Tour winner to find his magic legs again. Backed by a secured core in Ben Healy, Neilson Powless, and Sean Quinn through 2029, EF isn't crumbling; they are simply resetting their wage structure, staying nimble, and betting on high-ceiling upside where richer teams only see risk.wambo19-10-2026
- This is classic EF Pro Cycling: where other WorldTour squads see risk and injury recovery as a liability, Jonathan Vaughters sees high-ceiling potential and an opportunity to build a custom runway for a rider's resurgence. While Richard Carapaz's high salary and health setbacks made a traditional Grand Tour victory unlikely against today's dominant talents, EF smartly maximized every ounce of his ability by pivoting toward high-visibility targets like a Tour de France stage win, the Yellow Jersey, and the King of the Mountains title. Now, with Carapaz moving on, Tao Geoghegan Hart’s ceiling when healthy is undeniable, and after a tough couple of years recovering from his Giro crash, EF's patient, culture-first approach might be the exact environment he needs to find his magic legs again. EF has consistently proved that they do not need the largest budget in the peloton to extract elite value and deliver memorable performances. By giving Tao the time and tactical freedom to rebuild without overwhelming pressure, this move could easily pay huge dividends and shock a lot of people in the coming seasons.wambo19-10-2026
- The article makes it sound like a great thing and something to be applauded. The reality is is gives the Americans another 6 years to fleece European cycling fans or force them to hunt around Europe with VPN’s for free feeds. Not something to be celebrated in my book. Before someone points out that coverage of this depth costs money, yes, I agree but not £30+ per month a fee I will wager will gradually increase now this deal has been cemented.Paul53119-10-2026
- Great. Thrilled. (Satire) Oh, how I miss the days of GCN. Still wear my GCN hoodie with pride.anonymouscyclist19-10-2026
- You could also look at it another way. How many riders have had better or more consistent results since the Tour?Jumpyjohn19-10-2026
- Whilst I love Tadej (and Remco, who deserves to be mentioned here, too), @JumpyJohn makes a valid point, and he isn’t wrong @MajorPayne. It is a fact that today’s official broadcasters of cycling struggle to keep our attention once the likes of Tadej (or Remco) attacks at ~80km or so. In the 142nd issue of Rouleur, Ned Boulting reflects on the often stressful paradox of commentating on a race that is effectively over before the broadcast window even hits its stride. In this edition, he centres on Remco’s 1hr solo at the Challenge Mallorca this year, and captures the panic and dread shared by the commentators when a dominant rider kills off the racing tension early. I recommend you read it, it’s a fascinating insight into the world of commentary, and the true viewing figures of today’s cycling. I must add here, I love Tadej and Remco, but I would be lying if my heart rate wasn’t higher when watching the World Championships this year. And I’m sure Rob Hatch would say something akin regarding his commentary!anonymouscyclist19-10-2026
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🏁 FINISH 🏁 @CalebEwan your National Criterium Champion RESULT: 1️⃣st #RoadNats24 🇦🇺 💬comments to follow…
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