Coffee Ride: Oh baby, a rare case of mistiming for Caleb Ewan and Phil Liggett message from departed mate Paul Sherwen

Why Caleb Ewan might miss out on a Tour de France ride for the second year in a row, why legendary commentator was directing traffic on Flinders St and why every TDU is the best for the event’s second longest-serving front-of-house staff member.

Caleb Ewan signs in ahead of Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under in Adelaide. Picture: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes

• TDU Stage 1 recap
• Italian weaves his magic in perfect opener
• Bevin makes a point with smart play in heat
• Can Daryl do it again? Your TDU armchair guide
• Weather forces organisers to shorten stages

Caleb Ewan missed the Tour de France last year by reasons beyond his control and now he could be staring at the same thing again.

Ewan’s wife Ryann is pregnant with their first child and it is due on - you guessed it - the last day of the Tour de France on July 28 when the peloton is due to ride onto the Champs Elysees.

Caleb Ewan stays tucked in the peloton on Stage 1. Picture Sarah Reed

“We didn’t plan it too well. We Googled the Tour de France dates and they had the wrong dates,” Ewan told the Stanley Street Social podcast.

“We thought it finished on the 21st and thought we were going to be fine and then someone said ‘I’m pretty sure it finishes on the 28th’.

“So we Googled it again and Google had corrected itself, it was always going to be tight but now it’s going to be tighter.

“Hopefully the baby comes when I get home ... if not, I don’t know how it’s going to work but we’ll figure it out.”

If all goes to plan, Ewan will have 85 race days in 2019 including the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France and the world championships in Yorkshire.

“At the end of the year it could go either way, I could come out really strong after doing a lot of races, or I could be absolutely cooked,” Ewan said.

“It’s a lot, but if I come out of it stronger then I think the course could suit me and I think I’ve proven myself over a long distance now, so it’s really up to selectors if they think I’m capable or not, but I have put my hand up to say I want to do it.”

SHERWEN DID THAT’

Cycling commentator Phil Liggett at the SA Press Club in Adelaide. Picture: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes

PHIL Liggett knew he’d be busy at the TDU this week but he didn’t think he’d be directing traffic.

But when he hopped in a car being driven by Stuart O’Grady to head to the start of the Down Under Classic on Sunday they encountered a problem.

“We were on Flinders Street and the car stopped, completely dead. Stuart couldn’t take it out of drive, we couldn’t put the hazard lights on,” Liggett explained.

“So I got out and went to the cars behind us and said ‘I’m sorry, the car’s broken you better go that way, and you go that away’ and they probably thought ‘what the hell is Phil Liggett doing directing traffic?’

“So then we pushed the car off the road and once we got in the lane, all the lights came on, the car started and we drove off as if nothing happened.

“And I’m bloody sure Sherwen did that.”

COME AND TRY

BUDDING young cyclists aiming to become Australia’s next Amanda Spratt, Cadel Evans, Rohan Dennis or the Edmondsons are urged to give their fresh legs a crack at becoming a star.

All you’ll need is a helmet, a bike (if you haven’t got one Cycling SA can help out) and arrive well hydrated.

Cycling SA is conducting a familiarity come and try session for children aged up to 16 at Victoria Park on Thursday from 5.30pm until 7.30pm The night will include testing for the SASI Talent ID program.

Past participants in this program include current UCI world time trial champion Dennis and Alex and Annette Edmondson. For more details visit Cycling SA’s website or Facebook.

SLEEP IS OVER-RATED

SHE’S up before dawn putting out emails and is still working as the clock ticks towards midnight but it’s all part of the gig for the TDU’s PR boss Michele D’Aloia.

The general manager of Gray’s PR is second only to Mike Turtur as the longest-serving front-of-house staff member and does everything from greet riders and their families to answer calls from journalists and manage the media room at the Hilton.

“Every tour is a favourite, it’s the same adrenaline rush ever year,’’ said D’Aloia on her 17th edition of the race.

“I love it because of the people that you meet and relationships that go on.

“We are blessed we have an international event in Adelaide which truly has a global reach.”

D’Aloia is one of the best in the business and one that many budding media managing folk can certainly learn from after she was first on the Tour Down Under team in 2003.

She served the SA Tourism Commission in marketing and media, became Tour Down Under PR manager before motherhood kicked in but that hasn’t stopped her.

TWEET OF THE DAY

Impressive sprinting however what is the golden rule when opening the sprint. Close the barriers so nobody can advance protected. @eliaviviani can find gaps better than most. He passed about 7 guys as he went up the barrier lane. What a legend. https://t.co/QQzwnZQLXR

— Greg Henderson (@Greghenderson1) January 15, 2019

Originally published as Coffee Ride: Oh baby, a rare case of mistiming for Caleb Ewan and Phil Liggett message from departed mate Paul Sherwen