Australian once again targeting stages in Tour Down Under
Australian Robbie McEwen is already focusing on the season ahead. While not having enjoyed success in Grand Tours lately, the 38-year-old can still crank out wins and hopes to do so again in 2011. He hopes to take on the big sprint guns with his new Pegasus team.
McEwen knows his strengths and weaknesses very well. “I may not be as explosive as in the past,” McEwen told Sporza. “But I still am quite fast. Let people have it with Cavendish, Farrar and Greipel. I really hope that next month I can be on the podium shot in the Tour Down Under.”
McEwen is as motivated as ever, heading into his 16th season as a professional. “I want to win some races myself. And I also want to help my teammates win. The big teams need to take us into account,” McEwen said.
McEwen turned professional with the Rabobank team in 1996. His biggest successes were the win of the green sprinter’s jersey in the 2002, 2004 and 2006 Tour de France. He took a total of 12 stage wins in the Grande Boucle. He was also Australian Champion in 2002 and 2005.
One of his most impressive string of wins is Paris-Brussels, which he took five times (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008). The fact that he lives in Belgium may have to do with his desire to do well in those races.
Another major win was the Hamburg Vattenfall Cyclassics in 2008. But one of the races he likes the most is the Tour Down Under, in his native Australia. He has won stages almost every year that he participated. And he wants to continue this tradition in 2011.