Cycling, Super Ewan: from the controversy to the Giro al encore in Belgium

At the Giro d’Italia he had retired amidst controversy, for having left the race too early, in the eighth stage with arrival in Guardia Sanframondi: the reason was a blow to the knee suffered in the hotel. The day before, in Termoli, Caleb Ewan had won his second success in the pink race. Returning to this Tour of Belgium, the Australian of Lotto Soudal, above all else, proved once more that he is a sprinter with all the trimmings and that the goal of hitting a stage in all three great laps in the same year is not utopia. Today he won the fourth stage, Hamoir – Hamoir (152.7 km), repeating yesterday’s success, ahead of Bryan Coquard (B&B Hotels) and our Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck-Quick-Step). Fourth place for Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka Assos). No problem for Remco Evenepoel who maintains the leadership of the race when only tomorrow’s stage is missing: the young Belgian has a 45 ”advantage over Yves Lampaert and 53” over Gianni Marchand.

The answer

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Returning to the premature retirement at the Giro, Ewan gave his version of the facts. The first to criticize him was the great Eddy Merckx who told the Belgian media that the Australian was a lack of professionalism and respect towards the organizers. Here is Ewan’s response: “Eddy shouldn’t have spoken because he didn’t know the facts. I had changed my pedals, so my position was not quite correct. The start of that eighth stage was very hard for me and I felt that something was wrong with my knee. I called Merckx and he apologized to me ”.