It seems unthinkable that, aside from current champ Cadel Evans, the Australian rider who has come closest to a pro world road race title could be passed over for selection on home soil. However Robbie McEwen believes that his place is not guaranteed, and hopes that selectors should weigh up his vast experience against a lack of recent results when making their decision.
The 38 year old netted second eight years ago in Zolder, sprinting in behind Mario Cipollini. Four years later he picked up fifth in Salzburg. At the height of his career, McEwen was the best sprinter in world cycling. He has twelve Tour de France stage wins and three green jerseys to his credit, as well as five victories in Paris-Brussels.
He believes that kind of background could be extremely useful for the team, particularly as it is believed by some that a bunch sprint could decide rainbow jersey.
''I think the team needs to be a group of experienced worlds riders who can all ride the finale of the race as it is a circuit that provides opportunities for different types of riders,'' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
This season he showed a strong return to form after a bad knee injury incurred last summer. The Team Katusha rider picked up a stage win in the Vuelta a Mallorca, second in the Grote Scheldeprijs, third in the Tour Down Under Classic and fourth overall in the Tour Down Under.
After riding the Giro d’Italia, he looked to be on course for a strong Tour when he netted fourth and fifth on stages of the Tour de Suisse. He expressed confidence that he would hit top form in July yet, despite a quartet of fourth places early on, didn’t get close to a stage win. A major reason was the bad injuries he suffered on stage six to Guegnon, when he collided with a television journalist who strolled out into his way immediately after the finish.
McEwen was in considerable pain but soldiered on to finish in Paris, digging very deeply in the mountains and showing exceptional strength of character. He showed that he was riding back into form when he netted another fourth place, this time on stage 18. He’s since taken a couple of criterium victories.
''I am almost over the injuries,” he said. “My hip and back have recovered, although, I still need some physio to get everything straight and strong. My elbow is painful, but not a hindrance to my riding. I am still in recovery mode, just riding a few 'crits' [criteriums] and doing some slow, easy training rides before I step things back up to get ready for worlds - provided I get selected.
''I should be back on form by mid-September - three weeks from worlds. I will ride the same program as when I finished second [2002] and fifth [2006]. I have a huge base fitness from the Tour, and should come up well using a one-week tour and one-day races as a build-up.”
According to the Herald, his plan is to ride the Cyclassics one-day event in Hamburg, then do the Eneco Tour (August 17-24), Grand Prix Van Steenbergen (September 8), Paris-Brussels (September 11), Grand Prix de Fourmies (September 12), Grand Prix de Wallonie (September 15) and Grand Prix d'Isbergues (September 19).
He will also train on a circuit near his Belgian home. It is similar to the course that the riders will face in Geelong on October third and should, providing he is selected, ensure that he is fully prepared for what will be one of the final world championship campaigns of his career.