That looks like an easy win for 🇦🇺 Caleb Ewan! Let’s hope he’s able to grow to his best form again within his new team! 🤩 #RoadNats24
"Caleb Ewan's in the prime of his career" - Matt White full of praise for Team Jayco AlUla's returning sprint star
CyclingFriday, 05 January 2024 at 17:00
It only took five days for Caleb Ewan to return to winning ways upon his return to Team Jayco AlUla after five years away as the Australian took victory at his National Criterium Championships in Ballarat.
“It’s a nice way to get the season underway," admits Team Jayco AlUla's Director of High Performance and Racing, Matt White, in conversation with GCN. “We gelled really well today and rode a tactically astute criterium. Caleb has slipped back into the team and it doesn’t actually feel like he’s even left. It’s been good and we’re looking forward to taking on a World Tour field very soon."
Once arguably the most feared sprinter in the whole of the peloton, Ewan's form has dropped off somewhat in recent seasons, culminating in a very public spat with Lotto Dstny bosses following his abandon at the 2023 Tour de France which ultimately led to his departure from the team and his return to his roots. After victory in the criterium, Ewan is hoping for more success on home roads at the National Championship road race and then the Tour Down Under.
“Caleb has three stages for sure to target in the race but back in the day when he’d take on nationals and the Bay Crits, he’d come into the Tour Down Under with three or four wins under his belt. Sprinting is about confidence and timing and it’s an advantage that we have some competition before the race," White analyses.
Alongside Ewan, White is also very proud of the leadout train the team have assembled. "He’ll have Kelland O'Brien and Campbell Stewart, who are both doing track World Cups after Tour Down Under, as his lead-out riders, so they already have that form and intensity," he explains.
"They’re both looking forward to leading out one of the world’s best sprinters," White concludes, in no doubt that Ewan is still in that category. “With Caleb, he may have been around a while but he’s still only 29. I think he wants to show the world that he’s in the prime of his career and the best way to do that is by winning on the biggest stage.”
claps 0visitors 425
Just in
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Nov 05, 13:04
0
Popular news
Latest comments
- I wouldn’t assume Tadej can’t win at cross. He did a cross race, not a World Cup, a few years ago and crushed the field. It was a minor race. But he can win anywhere.mij23-12-2024
- I wonder what would happen if Pogacar attacked on the Cipressa instead of the Poggio in San Remo? Would MvdPoel still be able to follow?Ride197423-12-2024
- Debatable?Ride197423-12-2024
- The point is obvious: MVDP can beat Tadej on CX/Road and Tadej cannot. What is so hard to understand???averagecyclist22-12-2024
- Funny... one doper enabler backing the doper he enabled ! Who would have guessed.frieders322-12-2024
- Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’tMistermaumau22-12-2024
- So you're bored, got itvappaxbipmv22-12-2024
- Does everything need to have a point? If so, 99% of the internet should be wiped away. In relation to recent articles with quotes from other riders, my statement points to the ever more obvious reason why they are asked to comment on the effect of his return.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- If anyone would be interested enough to launch an official survey as to who out of these three should shut up, I don’t know who’d win but I’m due Boonen would be way back in 3rd place.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- And your point is what exactly?vappaxbipmv22-12-2024