Orica-GreenEDGE rider Caleb Ewan to make Grand Tour debut in Vuelta a Espana
YOUNG Australian cyclist Caleb Ewan will make his Grand Tour debut with Orica-GreenEDGE in the Vuelta a Espana starting on Saturday.
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YOUNG Australian cyclist Caleb Ewan will make his Grand Tour debut with Orica-GreenEDGE in the Vuelta a Espana starting on Saturday.
The 21-year-old from New South Wales has been rewarded for an exceptional first year as a professional in which he has won eight races and shown he can sprint against the best in the world.
As revealed by News Corp last week, Orica-GreenEDGE decided to start Ewan in the three-week Tour of Spain after he won the Tour of Korea in June and was more than impressive in the Tour of Poland earlier this month.
But he is only expected to ride the first week to 10 days of the tour before being withdrawn by the team to avoid over-doing it.
Orica-GreenEDGE sports director Neil Stephens described it as part of a “natural progression” for Ewan who opened 2015 with second place in the road race at the national championships.
“As we do with all of our young guys we will certainly support him and have high hopes, but any pressure will come from himself,” Stephens said.
“As a team we just want him to get out there for the experience. He will only ride half of the race as a maximum, if not only a week to 10 days.
“We have some great riders to guide him through — right from how he should handle the pressure before the race and the team presentation, to how to handle the media, the press conference and all the other little pressures that come with a Grand Tour.”
Joining Ewan in the Orica-GreenEDGE team for the Vuelta will be superstar Simon Gerrans who has recovered from a broken wrist and Daryl Impey who broke his collarbone in the Tour de France in July.
The team’s general classification ambitions will be led by Colombian Esteban Chaves who Stephens believes is capable of a top-10 finish.
Fellow Australian riders Mitch Docker, Damien Howson, Cameron Meyer and Mathew Hayman will also make up the team alongside Belgian Jens Keukeleire.
This year’s Vuelta begins with a 7.4km team time trial in Marbella and includes one individual time trial, six flat stages for sprinters and 13 for the climbers.
Originally published as Orica-GreenEDGE rider Caleb Ewan to make Grand Tour debut in Vuelta a Espana
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