Watch the Saudi Tour on SBS On Demand nightly as the WorldTour professionals tackle the early season challenges of the sands and tricky hills of Saudi Arabia.
Ewan crashed out of the Tour de France last year when hoping to display some of the top ability that he has showed over the years against elite competition.
The New South Welshman sustained a fractured collarbone during the final sprint on Stage 3, with a tight bunch on the final bend causing the Lotto Soudal rider to slide into Peter Sagan and bring his race to an end.
“There’s a fine line between glory and disaster, we saw that last year… but that’s just sprinting I guess," said Ewan in an interview with SBS Cycling Central. "There’s the quick decisions that you have to make. Sometimes you make the wrong decision, or you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time and your race can be over really quickly."
Ewan returned to competition by the end of the season, winning a stage of the Benelux Tour before concluding his year at the world championships road race. Ewan is lining up at the Saudi Tour to open his season, with the 27-year-old looking to put an up-and-down 2021 behind him with 2022 shaping as important year with a home world championships and Lotto Soudal one of the teams in threat of being relegated from the WorldTour at the end of the season.
“I’m excited to get the season started, the last time I raced was the world championships in September," said Ewan. "It’s been some months since I raced so I’m looking forward to getting started soon.”
“My goals for the Saudi Tour are to win as much as possible. I think there are three stages that suit me but we have a really strong field of sprinters there. It’s going to be tough, but I’m looking to win as many stages as possible.”
Stages 1, 3 and 5 look to be the sprinter-friendly days, with Ewan set to face off against a strong selection of sprinters including Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco), Aussie Sam Welsford or Alberto Dainese (both Team DSM), Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) and Davide Ballerini (QuickStep Alpha Vinyl).
The sprinters present should prove a good challenge for Ewan and his new Lotto Soudal leadout, which includes new recruits Australian Jarrad Drizners and the experienced Rudiger Selig. It will act as an important marker for the Tour de France, where Ewan hopes to excel.
"After last year, I want to prove that I can go back to the Tour and be successful again," said Ewan. "I’m more hungry than ever to go back, I want to feel that glory again."
Watch the Saudi Tour on SBS On Demand nightly as the WorldTour professionals tackle the early season challenges of the sands and tricky hills of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Tour- “I’m excited to get the season started, the last time I raced was the world championships in September. It’s been some months since I raced so I’m looking forward to getting started soon.”
“My goals for the Saudi Tour are to win as much as possible. I think there are three stages that suit me but we have a really strong field of sprinters there. It’s going to be tough, but I’m looking to win as many stages as possible.”
“There’s a fine line between glory and disaster, we saw that last year… but that’s just sprinting I guess. There’s the quick decisions that you have to make. Sometimes you make the wrong decision, or you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time and your race can be over really quickly.
After last year, I want to prove that I can go back to the Tour and be successful again. I’m more hungry than ever to go back, I want to feel that glory again.
