The Caleb Ewan Thread

[Lequack]

He's got some fans, and it's his birthday!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1546438008966348800

View: https://twitter.com/SBSSportau/status/1546438008966348800?s=20&t=i5kAiGLZHRRC62HjvEemAQ

 

[Lequack]

Shame he had to abandon the Tour today

Caleb Ewan Abandons Tour de France in Stage 13 Ahead of Grand Colombier

The Australian narrowly made the time cut yesterday, and just didn’t have it today.

www.bicycling.com

 

[SHAD0W93]

If Evenepoel wasn’t there, I could see PL throwing a lifeline to Ewan.

 

[Monte Serra]

Lotto manager Stéphane Heulot was not very complimentary about Ewan:
"Caleb already wanted to abandon yesterday, but Jasper De Buyst pulled him through. We would have liked to see him in Paris. Today Caleb didn't want to continue . That is a big disappointment. The whole team had invested in him and that demands a lot of energy. A rider has not only rights, but also obligations. We have the right to ask for a different kind of attitude."

Gemengde gevoelens bij Lotto-Dstny door Van Gils en Ewan: "Een renner heeft ook plichten"

Bij Lotto-Dstny was er enerzijds blijdschap en anderzijds teleurstelling. Maxim Van Gils schitterde met een tweede plek op de Grand Colombier, sprintkopman Caleb Ewan gaf er de brui aan. Vooral de opgave van de Australiër zint de ploeg duidelijk niet.

sporza.be

 

[Samamba]

The team hasn't been happy with his "I don't care" attitude for a long time now, they just didn't say it publicaly cause they kind of know they really didn't have someone to take his spot and obviously still believed he could win a stage at the Tour. But it's not just fans that are pissed off by his lack engagement going for UCI points (not caring about minor places in sprint) for example. The whole team has been fighting for every single point (look at Eenkhoorn and Van Gils sprinting for a top 15 place a few days ago) and their leader still only thinks about himself. Obviously something like that is going to piss people off within the team.

I also know riders and team management were really not amused when they saw the public criticism from Ewan towards De Buyst just before the Tour. De Buyst and the whole team have supported him with all they've got (other teams wouldn't have) and the only reason for Ewans lack of results is himself.

 

[Salvarani]

There are always two sides to a story, so I will refrain from passing hard judgement about it without knowing everything. Especially, with a story like the one with Dele Alli still on my mind.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

This guy is going nowhere fast. I think it's been over a year now that i said, Lotto should let him go when they get relegated. They didn't. He has two wins this year so far, both of the loller-category. His last WT win was 16 months ago. Biggest contract on the team, tiniest attitude.

 

[Samamba]

This guy is going nowhere fast. I think it's been over a year now that i said, Lotto should let him go when they get relegated. They didn't. He has two wins this year so far, both of the loller-category. His last WT win was 16 months ago. Biggest contract on the team, tiniest attitude.

Why are you pretending like they had the power to let him go?

There are always two sides to a story, so I will refrain from passing hard judgement about it without knowing everything. Especially, with a story like the one with Dele Alli still on my mind.

No two sides to a story about someone simply not performing and not even trying in a lot of sprints (something everyone can see).

No doubt that he has been struggling mentally since his crashes started, but that's no excuse in this case.

 

[movingtarget]

He's had some illness in this race and his attitude seemed off. I think a change of team will help with a different DS but he looks nothing like the sprinter from a few years ago. Hopefully it's not another Kittel like situation. Also Lotto might have to start looking at their approach. Other teams seem to have more options for victories but then some of those teams also have a much bigger budget to work with.

 

[Salvarani]

No two sides to a story about someone simply not performing and not even trying in a lot of sprints (something everyone can see).

No doubt that he has been struggling mentally since his crashes started, but that's no excuse in this case.

How do you know that there are not two sides to the story? No one knows what is really going on. We are only getting bits and pieces.

You seem to have made up your mind already. I am not gonna do that. Especially, like I said, because of the story I mentioned still on my mind.

 

[Samamba]

How do you know that there are not two sides to the story? No one knows what is really going on. We are only getting bits and pieces.

You seem to have made up your mind already. I am not gonna do that. Especially, like I said, because of the story I mentioned still on my mind.

Cause it's a fact that he's not performing and everyone who watches Ewan his sprints or just listens to/reads his interviews knows he doesn't give a fk about UCI points (and thus the team) and he never tries to get the best result possible when he knows he can't win. He literally said he "doesn't care about minor placements".

 

[Salvarani]

Cause it's a fact that he's not performing and everyone who watches Ewan his sprints or just listens to/reads his interviews knows he doesn't give a fk about UCI points (and thus the team) and he never tries to get the best result possible when he knows he can't win. He literally said he "doesn't care about minor placements".

I am not arguing that he is not performing, I am just not gonna slew him for that or say that he is a bad person. That he doesnt care, is lazy and things like that. I don’t know him or what happens behind the scenes or in his life. He has been the only one they relied on for results for years until recently, now he is being thrown under the bus. I will wait to pass judgement. You do what you wanna do.

Don’t know why you responded to me in the first place, as didnt argue him performing or responded to anything you have said.

 

[glassmoon]

He's just selfish primadonna past his prime with fat contract who doesn't give a damn about the team working their asses for him.
That's about it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Why are you pretending like they had the power to let him go?

I thought rider contracts, as per UCI regulations, were no longer valid after relegation and had to be renewed. Also, Ewan himself said last year, he was staying with Lotto "if they still wanted him" after relegation. And there are plenty of other ways to push a rider out. So why are you pretending like they even tried to get him out?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

'It's disgusting': Caleb Ewan's agent calls on Lotto-Dstny boss to apologise after 'public humiliation'

Ewan's agent has strongly hit back at comments made by Lotto-Dstny's boss.

www.cyclingweekly.com

lol

 

[Samamba]

I thought rider contracts, as per UCI regulations, were no longer valid after relegation and had to be renewed. Also, Ewan himself said last year, he was staying with Lotto "if they still wanted him" after relegation. And there are plenty of other ways to push a rider out. So why are you pretending like they even tried to get him out?

No it's a clause that only can get triggered by the rider (you can look it up, it's in the model UCI contract). That "still wanted him" was complete BS lmao. Ewan was never going anywhere cause it mean cutting his pay check in half. Also like several managers and riders have said at the end of last season. Using that clause is pretty complicated as the UCI only gives out their licences in December.

 

[yaco]

It doesn't really matter because the relationship is fractured beyond repair and he will be at another team in 2024 - The new team must ensure they don't invest all their resources in Ewan at stage races - Three riders is enough.

 

[postmanhat]

We all sometimes look for someone else to blame to excuse our failures, but can't believe Ewan has been critical of De Buyst or the team. They've worked tirelessly for him in so many races, only to see him eff it up. Just looks like his head has gone in WT bunch sprints. As soon as there's two or three riders around him jostling for position, he gives up. He could still be an excellent Pro and .1 sprinter though where the finishes tend to be less hectic.

Cofidis seem like a natural match. They got a lot of French Cup points from a declining Vivianni, and Ewan is nowhere near that bad yet physically. Or Total, as a replacement for Sagan?

 

[samhocking]

Pretty low move by Heulot going to the press. Sounds like Lotto need to go on a course in HR and basic decency training.

 

[Red Rick]

Lotto don't have a leg to stand on to get rid of him, so they're probably just trying to bully him off.

Ewan not arsing anymore isn't that fair, considering he still got semi close a few times this Tour, and tbh his leadout has been dire lately.

Does anyone know precisely how far he was back at the moment he got off?

 

[laarsland]

I get Lotto's sentiment. When Ewan is good, he's good. However, they are stuck in a battle where each and every UCI-points matters. So him sitting up and finishing 15th instead of battling for a 4th-8th is not what they expect, be it in the Tour or the Belgium Tour.

 

[Scarponi]

He didn’t have a single rider with him in any sprint finish and they whinge when he doesn’t get close to winning. They are lucky he got them a second place.

 

[movingtarget]

Like to see Renshaw work with Ewan and the change of team is a certainty at this point.

 

[Volderke]

Lotto aren't asking from Ewan to win TdF sprints, that's absolutely not the point. They simply ask he keeps sprinting till the line when he can get a UCI points result, and don't let go so he gets swarmed by 20+ riders, scoring no points at all.

And this is the TdF. Just look at what riders like Petit did yesterday: a huge bleeding gap in their leg, they grit their teeth and they don't give up. Ewan voluntarily gave up in the biggest race of the year when the team most expects him to get points (there still were 3 sprinting chances in the last week of the Tour. All of those are waisted now.), but he made the choice to DNS as he knows he will get his paycheck anyway. Ewan didn't even inform Jasper De Buyst of his DNS: De Buyst rode his a.. off the day before, and looked like he was caught off-guard being interviewed at the start of the Saturday stage and being informed that Ewan wouldn't start. Every DS (and team mate) would be seriously annoyed actions like this.

What is left for Lotto vs Ewan the rest of the season? Lotto wants the points, Ewan wants...? With the mountaineous Vuelta, I think another GT is out of the question. Smaller one-day races? It seems like Ewan has had a year too much at Lotto.

 

[Rob5091]

Lotto don't have a leg to stand on to get rid of him, so they're probably just trying to bully him off.

Ewan not arsing anymore isn't that fair, considering he still got semi close a few times this Tour, and tbh his leadout has been dire lately.

Does anyone know precisely how far he was back at the moment he got off?

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...riticizes-caleb-ewan-after-tour-de-france-dnf

"Stage 13 had a short and flat start, but as soon as the road tilted up the Australian was dropped from the peloton. The team later on had Florian Vermeersch and Frederik Frison wait for him, but the abandon came afterwards. “And the moment Caleb finally gets to them, he just gives up. Then you have absolutely no respect for your teammates.”

“He was totally unmotivated. Jasper De Buyst and sports director Marc Wauters in the support car had to 'save' him the stage before (stage 12, ed.). And yet Caleb criticized everything and everyone. On the team, on his teammates, on the staff, on the sporting management, it didn't stop. He felt every time that he did not get enough support. While his own sprint was below par," Heulot concluded."

Lots of finger pointing by the sound of it - Ewan wants to have more support but it's not a WT team, and his form is up and down. Value for money is probably another thing management are thinking of.