Sprint Sensation Caleb Ewan Chasing Home Wins

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Already a winner in 2016 many times over, Aussie Caleb Ewan will be chasing more in the Australian Classic, the Sun Tour starting Feb 3rd

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Sprint Sensation Caleb Ewan Chasing Home Wins

SUN TOUR PRESS RELEASE

He’s been dubbed the fastest man in cycling right now and speed machine Caleb Ewan (NSW) looks set to continue his summer heroics at next week’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour. Having already blazed a trail through the Australian summer of cycling, the Ewan-led ORICA-GreenEDGE will look to go out with a bang at the 2016 Jayco Herald Sun Tour.

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This year’s event begins with a city-centre prologue next Wednesday 3rd February, then heads to the Yarra Ranges and South Gippsland before a climax on Arthurs Seat on Sunday 7th February. The 63rd edition of Australia’s oldest stage race brings down the curtain on a month of international racing down under.

The form of the young sprint supremo has so far been sublime in 2016, claiming a third Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic title, the Australian criterium championship and two stages at the Tour Down Under in addition to the prelude criterium.

The 21-year-old won two stages at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour last year and will be seeking more wins to round out the Australian summer. “The team is obviously full of confidence after the Tour Down Under and we want to continue that success for the Jayco Herald Sun Tour,” Ewan said.

“I’ve had a look at the course. Stages two and three look like they’d be the most likely to end in a bunch sprint so it’d be great to walk away with a couple more wins before I head back to Europe.”

While Cameron Meyer won’t be back to defend his overall tour crown having changed teams, ORICA-GreenEDGE will have 2014’s third place-getter Jack Haig (Vic) among their ranks with the young climber from Bendigo a serious threat for the overall win.

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Another rider who will help to give ORICA-GreenEDGE a serious shot at defending their team classification victory, is Damien Howson (SA) who finished fifth overall last year and the seventh man across the finish line at Arthurs Seat.

Ewan, Haig and Howson may be the riders who scoop the headlines, but they won’t be able to get to the finish line without some of the best domestiques in the business with Mitch Docker (Vic) and Sam Bewley (NZ) key to the sprint train, and Canada’s Christian Meier unafraid of toiling his way up the climbs for his teammates.

Team director Matthew Wilson, himself a winner of the event in 2007, said the event was special for the team and its sponsors. “It’s very important for the team as it’s the last opportunity to race in front of a home crowd before heading to Europe,” Wilson said.

“We have Caleb in strong form and he will obviously be our choice for the sprint finishes. Mitch and Sam Bewley are back into the line up to play a key role in the finale of these stages.”
“The general classification will be left a little more open. We have some younger riders like Damian Howson and Jack Haig who are both quality climbers.”

“On paper, the final Arthurs Seat stage is the most difficult and important stage for general classification. That won’t change this year, but often an earlier breakaway result can set the race up going into that last day so we will be mindful of that and make decisions out on the road,” Wilson said.

ORICA-GreenEDGE – 2016 Jayco Herald Sun Tour
Caleb Ewan
Mitch Docker
Jack Haig
Damien Howson
Sam Bewley
Christian Meier

When: Wednesday 3rd to Sunday 7th February 2016

Course:
Prologue – Wednesday 3rd February – Melbourne Southbank – 2.1km
Stage 1 – Thursday 4th February – Healesville to Healesville – 126km
Stage 2 – Friday 5th February – Yarra Glen to Moe – 144km
Stage 3 – Saturday 6th February – Traralgon to Inverloch – 146km
Stage 4 – Sunday 7th February – Arthurs Seat Finale – 122km

Website: www.heraldsuntour.com.au

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