Team News: Win for Ewan at Clasica de Almeria

23-year-old Australian Caleb Ewan sprinted to victory today in his first European race of the season, the Clasica de Almeria.

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Team News: Win for Ewan at Clasica de Almeria

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23-year-old Australian Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) sprinted to victory today in his first European race of the season, the Clasica de Almeria.

After a strong start to the year with a stage win at the Tour Down Under, Ewan carried his form over to Europe, beating Danny van Popple (LottoNL-Jumbo) to take the victory in the 185kilometre one-day race.

Early breakaway – After just seven kilometres of racing, seven riders formed the main breakaway of the day and rode out to a maximum advantage of four minutes 30seconds. Mitchelton-SCOTT, with desires for a bunch sprint, headed to the front and used Roman Kreuziger in the opening stages to control the distance to the leaders with some welcomed help from LottoNL-Jumbo and Bora-Hansgrohe.
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Re-united with the lead-out train – Once the breakaway was caught with 35 kilometres to go, Mitchelton-SCOTT worked to follow the attacks and keep things together ahead of the sprint. Finally re-united with his lead-out train, Ewan was able to avoid crashes in the final and navigate through the peloton before launching from the wheel of Luka Mezgec to the victory.

Caleb Ewan – 1st Clasica de Almeria – “It’s really good to hit the ground running in my first European race and it was good to have the full lead-out squad behind me today. We were all a bit lost after getting caught behind a crash but once we all got back together and started the lead-out, no-one came round us and I am happy I was able to finish it off.

“I haven’t raced with these lead-out guys since the Tour of Britain so that’s a fair chunk of time away. It is good to get the confidence back in working together and that nothing has really changed, that is what we needed going into these next big races.

“I felt pretty tired during the day because we did five hours training yesterday, so I didn’t feel great but in the final when the adrenalin kicks in I felt alright and overall it was a good day.” … continued after advert

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Danny Van Poppel, (Lotto Jumbo)  “It was a relaxed race, really. The team did an amazing job all day and chased down the breakaway. In the end we had two short final laps, but it went wrong on a slippery roundabout. I could avoid the crash, but I was the last one to hook up with the front group. In the sprint, I was in Ewan’s wheel but due to the headwind I waited to start my sprint. I also clicked out of my pedal and ultimately I wasn’t able to beat Ewan on the line. It’s a pity that I couldn’t finish off the teamwork, but I am happy that I was still able to sprint”, said Van Poppel, who’s hoping for more success in Abu Dhabi soon.

Timothy Dupont (3rd) (Wanty-Groupe Gobert ): “In the final I was isolated after the crash. Thus I had to move up on my own in the sprint preparation. With 250 meters to go I initiated the sprint, and only Caleb Ewan and Danny Van Poppel, two strong sprinters, could pass me.”

“I want to double thank my teammates for their terrific work. They kept me in front of the peloton during the whole day and in the final Van Keirsbulck and Offredo brought me back after the crash with only 5 kilometers to go.”

“Now we are heading to Volta Algarve. Tonight we sleep here and tomorrow a 700km bus ride to Portugal awaits. In Algarve three sprint stages should suit my profile.”

Result

1. Caleb Ewan, Mitchelton-Scott 4:35:28
2. Danny van Poppel, LottoNL-Jumbo
3. Timothy Dupont, Wanty-Groupe Gobert
4. Hugo Hofstetter, Cofidis, Solutions Credits
5. Florian Senechal, Quick-Step Floors
6. Marko Kump, CCC Sprandi Polkowice
7. Mads Würtz Schmidt, Katusha-Alpecin
8. Carlos Barbero, Movistar Team
9. Edward Planckaert, Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
10. Jon Aberasturi Izaga,Euskadi Basque Country-Murias

17. Philippe Gilbert, Quick-Step Floors
41. Jack Bauer, Mitchelton-Scott
100. Enrique Sanz, Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
101. James Mitri, Burgos-BH

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