McEwen starts 2006 campaign

Davitamon-Lotto sprinter Robbie McEwen will commence his Australian campaign on Wednesday, January 4 when he contests the Jayco Geelong Bay Classic in Melbourne, an event that he has won six times. He will follow that with the defence of his Australian road title in South Australia a week later, then the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, where he will be defending his sprinter's title.

Before McEwen heads back to Belgium for the European season, he will spend Monday, January 23 doing coaching and PR work for Cycling Australia. His day will start at a coaching session in Centennial Park for budding stars from the NSW Institute of Sport, followed by a corporate luncheon in the city, then a meet the people ride-in at Heffron Park in Maroubra, and finally hosting a dinner at Souths Juniors Leagues Club before flying home to the Gold Coast at 10pm.

In the midst of all this, he plans a sightseeing ride through Sydney, taking in the ANZAC War Memorial in Hyde Park south and travelling via the Archibald Memorial Fountain, Queen's Square, Parliament House and Lachlan Macquarie's statue, ending at the Opera House, where he will do a lap of the Sydney icon on his bike while popping trademark wheelies.

On Tuesday, he heads back to Everbeek in Belgium where his wife Angelique is expecting their second child.