Caleb Ewan ended up not winning the Down Under Classic, and that was no coincidence. The Australian sprinter is not in top form, according to his team boss Matt White.
The Down Under Classic is just a Criterium race that precedes the Tour Down Under, but it is significant considering Ewan has scored impressive victories in five of the last six editions, including last year.
“Yesterday it was over 40ºC and Caleb didn’t feel 100% fit. That’s why we thought it would be best to let him rest for a bit, until the real WorldTour race starts. We will continue to monitor the situation as Caleb plays an important role in our plans for next week. We hope he recovers well, we will make a decision on Sunday afternoon.”
The team also has other sprinters such as Luke Durbridge and Lucas Hamilton. “But we want to give Caleb the opportunity to be ready.” The Tour Down Under will be Ewan’s first official race for Jayco-AlUla, following his much-criticized departure from Lotto Dstny.