"I’m so desperate to win that maybe I’m overthinking" - Caleb Ewan left confused by disappointing sprint performances at the 2024 Giro d'Italia

With Caleb Ewan set to complete a Grand Tour for just the fourth time in his career, the Australian would have hoped for at least one stage win over the last three weeks at the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Sadly though, something has been missing for Ewan, although the Team Jayco AlUla sprinter can't put his finger on what.

“Obviously, I’ve not had the results that I’ve wanted. I knew that it was going to be hard coming in here with the sprint field that was here but I think I prepared well,” the 11-time Grand Tour stage winner reflects honestly about his Giro, in conversation with GCN. “After last year I needed to put my emphasis on building my engine to get through the Giro because it’s been two years since I finished a Grand Tour, but maybe I didn’t focus enough on my sprints because, to be honest, I’ve been below average and I’ve not even been competitive in the sprints so far."

As he mentions there, one more sprint opportunity remains in Rome. Given the fact his best stage finish so far is 6th on stage 5, when the breakaway took the win, Ewan isn't especially confident of being able to compete with the likes of Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan in front of the Colosseum. "There’s still one to go but it hasn’t been great,” he admits. "I don’t know what it is. I wish I could pinpoint what it is but to be honest, I just don’t know."

"It seems like I’m there but just lost in the sprints, whereas usually, that’s my thing, to be able to get out of a shitty situation in the sprints. I’m usually quite good at that. I just don’t know what it is, maybe I’ve just been a bit lost. I felt a bit better in the last sprint. I was on my own fighting to stay up there but I can’t pinpoint what it is,” he adds. "The last few years I’ve not won that much. And as a sprinter, you just need to get the wins on a roll and you rely more on your instincts rather than thinking about it. Now I’m so desperate to win that maybe I’m overthinking them.”