Although he officially hung up his racing wheels at the end of the Tour of California in May, Robbie McEwen found himself on top of the podium again yesterday when he won the Noosa Cycling Grand Prix in Australia's Sunshine Coast.
Racing as an independent rider, the 40 year old showed the finishing speed which won him twelve stages in the Tour de France, three Maillots Vert in the same race plus countless other professional victories. He blasted over the line ahead of riders far younger than him, beating Jonathan Cantwell, Ryan MacAnally and many others.
Given that he’s no longer anything as serious as he once was, he was very surprised with the outcome. “In retirement, I just went into this without any expectations,” he said, according to Noosa News.
“If I had any expectations it was to really struggle and just make up the numbers and finish midfield, but I just kept myself in contention, riding position, and after 20 years of racing you can use your experience to save a bit of energy. In the end I just managed to sneak through.”
He said that he used that experience to ride a clever race. He attacked at several points, but also held back at times and tried to use the ebb and flow of the race to his advantage.
With three laps left, Orica GreenEdge rider Simon Clarke attacked and opened a gap. However he was hauled back before then finish and while Greg Henderson (Lotto Belisol) kicked hard to open the sprint, he went too soon ad was swamped by the others.
McEwen played things perfectly and came out best as a result. “At the end, things just worked in my favour,” he said.
“I got near the front and stayed in the position....I had to weave through a few to get in the wheel of Cantwell over the bridge and then I was able to come off him into this very slight breeze.”
He said that while he’s retired, he still rides his bike. He said that he does two hour rides four days a week and, on the basis of the Noosa race, hasn’t lost too much of his speed. Away from that, he’s also sprint coach with the Orica GreenEdge team, helping the young riders on the WorldTour squad develop and get the most out of their performances.
The victory was his fourth in the race.
Meanwhile Lauren Kitchen beat Ruth Corset in the women’s event, the two having broken clear of the field with a few laps remaining.
“We had a plan and a few different options, but I was just hanging in there knowing we had Rochelle (Gilmore) behind,” she told Cycling Central. “Once she gave me the all clear, I came through to help Ruth (Corset). I just hoped I had the legs at the finish and then it came off. I’m really happy.”
Noosa criterium, Sunshine Coast:
Elite men:
1, Robbie McEwen
2, Jonathan Cantwell
3, Ryan MacAnally
4, Jay McCarthy
5, Malcolm Rudolph
6, Daniel McCulloch
7, Samuel Wood
8, Anthony Kellen
9, Aaron Kemps
10, Greg Henderson
Elite women:
1, Lauren Kitchen
2, Ruth Corset
3, Loren Rowney
4, Kimberley Wells
5, Rochelle Gilmore
6, Samantha Hemsley
7, Nicole Moerig
8, Kartin Garfoot
9, Sarah Roy
10, Brittany Lindores