McEwen motivated, may ride World's

Tour de France maillot vert Robbie McEwen has started his third Grand Tour this season and said at today's start in Málaga that the thoughts of a win in each of those is a target. "I am going to try to win a stage here," he said. "Kind of like the Tour, I am aiming to get going early and aim for a victory. I won't be doing much of this race, I will stop before the end."

Although the world championship course looks to be tougher than Madrid last season, the Australian is toying with the idea of going anyhow. "I'd like to ride, but I am going to see how I feel after this first week. It has been a long season, I have been tired but I will see how I am going, how I am feeling after a week of racing here. Then I will decide if I do the World's or not.

"It is kind of a hard course and even on an easy course, you need to be one hundred percent. Otherwise it is not worth going. So if I don't feel that I will hit good form, I will give up my place. I'd end the season then, rather than doing Paris-Tours. I'd maybe just do a couple more crits towards the end of September, probably keep going for a couple more rides, and then have my real off season after I get back to Australia."