ProTeam’s Caleb Ewan Claims Victory in Van Merksteijn Fences Classic

Caleb Ewan emerged as the fastest cyclist in the Van Merksteijn Fences Classic, securing a victory in the sprint finish ahead of Tim Merlier and Gerben Thijssen. The win holds significant importance for Ewan, who had been eager to secure his first victory of the year leading up to the Tour de France.

Ewan expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating, “This is a very important win. I hadn’t won yet this year and was so keen to get that first win, especially looking ahead to the Tour. This feels incredibly good.”

The Australian cyclist had faced some challenges in recent months, narrowly missing out on victory in several photo-finishes. However, luck was on his side in the Van Merksteijn Fences Classic as he showcased his speed in the final sprint. Reflecting on the race, Ewan mentioned his concerns about potential accidents due to the high speed, saying, “With a sprint in a descending line, the speed increases enormously, so accidents can happen quickly. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case.”

Ewan described the win as a much-needed boost after a difficult start to the season, admitting, “This was probably the worst start of my career. So, I really needed this win. I didn’t want to go to the Tour de France without a win to my name. Hopefully, this will give me the confidence I needed and the ball will start rolling now.”

The cyclist credited his team for their support throughout the race, stating, “The team never gave up on me and kept believing in me… They believed in me and did an excellent job. The race was ours today. Thanks to my teammates, I was able to start the sprint fresh. I am very happy that I was able to finish it.”

With this victory, Ewan not only claimed his first win of the season but also took over the leader’s jersey in the Lotto Cycling Cup from his teammate Milan Menten.

Images: Brecht Steenhouwer