For the second year in a row, Caleb Ewan just failed to claim the Jayco Herald Sun Tour prologue

FOR the second year in a row, Caleb Ewan just failed to claim the Jayco Herald Sun Tour prologue - but he didn’t walk away entirely empty-handed.

Herald Sun Cycling Tour 2016. Prologue. Caleb Ewan of the Orica GreenEdge team hits the finish line to record todays fastest time . Pic: Mchael Klein

FOR the second year in a row, Caleb Ewan just failed to claim the Jayco Herald Sun Tour prologue - but he didn’t walk away entirely empty-handed.

The brilliant young sprinter, who is one of the most exciting talents across the entire spectrum of Australian sport, won a bag of coffee beans.

That came courtesy of his much more senior Orica-GreenEDGE teammate Christian Meier, who owns a coffee shop in the Italian city of Verona, near the team’s European headquarters, which has been rated by the popular travel website Trip Advisor as one of the best in Europe. Or so Meier likes to tell his mates, apparently.

And so the bet was struck with Ewan needing to finish 10 seconds ahead of the Canadian veteran.

Ewan duly finished second to Drapac’s Will Clarke, replicating last year’s result, in two minutes 35.15 sec. It was less than a second adrift but more than 12 seconds better than Meier’s 2.47.63, a long way back in 65th place.

“That’s a good result,” Ewan laughed, while agreeing that not getting the more important bikkies a second time was “a bit disappointing.”

There have been very few disappointments for the 21 year old Sydneysider over the past month as he has racked up seven victories from 14 races as well as the overall title - for the third time in four years - at the Mitchelton Bay Classic criteriums.

There is probably more to come, with Ewan heavily favoured to win at least one of the three stages before the Tour is decided at Arthur’s Seat on Sunday.

He won’t win the tour overall because he is a sprinter, not a climber, but he is certain to be a focal point along the way just as he was last year, when he won two stages.

Caleb Ewan finished second behind Will Clarke.

Orica-GreenEDGE owner Gerry Ryan was on hand to present him with the white jersey for best young rider, which he may well hold all week.

Ryan was delighted to do because he is excited by the unlimited potential of the young star, who is starting only his second full year as a professional.

The wealthy sporting and business entrepreneur has long been regarded as Australia’s most committed sports fan and that won’t change when he leaves with friends today for San Francisco to attend the gridiron Superbowl.

He is half kicking himself because that means he won’t see the rest of Ewan’s week or whether his team can win the Tour, which he sponsors, for the third year running.

However, he won’t be short of more chances to watch Ewan take to the biggest stages in the sport. Ewan will definitely race the Italian Giro, the first of the three Grand Tours, plus either the Tour de France of the Spanish Vuelta, Ryan said.

“It hasn’t been decided which one yet,” Ryan said.

That will be news to Ewan, who said that as much as he wants to have a crack at Le Tour - as all young cyclists do - his year is already so crowded with big targets, including the world championships, that “it might be too much for a young guy.”

Judging by the grin on the boss’s face, there might have to be a rethink on that.

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