McEwen: Challenges ahead for Renshaw

Renshaw has developed a reputation as the world’s best lead-out specialist since signing with the now defunct HTC-Highroad team in 2009 and playing an integral role in some of the victories of British world champion Mark Cavendish.

The renowned partnership came after Renshaw raced for former Tour de France green jersey champion Thor Hushovd at the former Credit-Agricole team.

But the 29-year-old will start a new chapter of his cycling career next year after a surprising move to Dutch outfit Rabobank, whom he has signed a two-year deal with, and will have to fight harder in finishes as the team’s primary fast-man.

“I think he’s definitely got the talent to be successful but going from lead-out man to sprinter is tougher than going from sprinter to lead-out man,” McEwen said. “Not so much in the way he trains but mentally in the way he approaches the sprint – keeping himself in cover a bit more rather than half sacrificing himself before he pulls the sprint for somebody else.

“Also, he’s been doing a job where everybody knows he’s got Cav on his wheel – we know what he’s doing, he’s not going to get in my way and he’s not going to prevent me from winning as such. But now he’s going to have a different position where he’ll be going for himself and nobody is going to give him any gifts.”

Highroad has dominated cycling’s sprints in recent years - with its well-drilled lead-out train - but will be dispersed across different outfits next season with the title up for grabs and, perhaps, more interesting finishes and alternative tactics on the cards, with world-class sprinters, in general, more evenly spread across the peloton.

Cavendish has moved to Sky and has a strong team behind him whilst former teammate and  Milan – San Remo champion Matt Goss is set to race for fledgling Australian outfit GreenEDGE.

Meanwhile, German Andre Greipel headlines the Lotto-Ridley team, Tour de France stage winners Tyler Farrar and Heinrich Haussler at Garmin-Cervelo, Thor Hushovd at BMC, emerging stars John Degenkolb and Marcel Kittel at Skil-Shimano (Project 1T4i from next year) and Peter Sagan at Liquigas-Cannondale to name a few.

McEwen says it will be important for Renshaw to find his own loyal lieutenants and bring the structure developed at HTC to Rabobank – one of cycling’s oldest and most established teams on the WorldTour - in the hunt for results.

“Mark Renshaw and also Bernhard Eisel, the relationship they’ve built up with Cav, the system they’ve got going, the way they approach the sprint – they’re on automatic pilot pretty much. They know exactly what they’re doing, they’re very good at controlling the front of the bunch and now that it’s been split up, Renshaw has to try and bring that technique to Rabobank. Cav has to try and bring that over to somebody else at Sky, who are very well-drilled, but do they have somebody with that instinct of Renshaw?”

Renshaw is one of several sprinters at Rabobank, all at different phases of their respective careers,  including compatriots Graeme Brown and 2010 under-23 road world champion Michael Matthews as well as former Dutch track specialist Theo Bos.

Despite the reputation he has built as a lead-out man has also celebrated his own wins, this year taking out a stage and the overall Tour of Qatar, the opening team time-trial stage of the Giro d’Italia and a stage of the Tour of Britain. In both 2009 and 2010 he finished second in a stage of the Tour de France to Cavendish and Alessandro Petacchi, respectively.

“At heart he’s a sprinter but his physiology and the job he is able to do as a lead-out man- he is the best at it,” McEwen said. “What makes you the best at it? It’s a combination of how you do the job and look after your sprinter and get him to the line whatever the circumstances.

"But you’re also the best when you have probably the best sprinter and certainly the fastest sprinter on your wheel, who can also correct a situation if something goes wrong – have that extra turn of speed.

“Cav’s partly the best sprinter because he’s got Renshaw riding for him, Renshaw’s partly the best lead-out man because he’s got Cav riding behind him; split them up (and) only time will tell if, in their respective teams, they can get that same system going and get somebody who can take over the role and do it just as well. You never know, you might find someone better.

“It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out there; how many times (Renshaw will) get and take his opportunity, how that will work out for him and who will eventually lead him out if he’s going to get to do the sprints.”

Renshaw is one of six finalists for the 2011 Scody People’s Choice Cyclist of the Year Award to be presented at Friday’s sold-out Australian Cyclist of the Year Awards in Sydney.

McEwen finished a nation-wide promotional tour for his new book One Way Road last week.

Twitter: @SophieSmith86