Caleb Ewan wins Australian men's criterium championship

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For the third year running, Caleb Ewan reigned supreme in the Australian national criterium championships, taking the elite men's title with a powerful and perfectly executed sprint. Steele von Hoff returned to the podium for silver while Brenton Jones started his Delko-Marseille career with bronze.

Despite the best efforts of the peloton to tire and disrupt the Mitchelton-Scott train, Luke Durbridge in particular kept the race together and ensured the sprint finale. Lucas Hamilton, Cam Meyer and last man Alex Edmondson were also instrumental in ensuring an armchair ride for Ewan.

In prime position for the gallop to the line thanks to his teammates, there was no catching Ewan once he unleashed his powerful, aero-tuck sprint.

"It feels good. The feeling of winning never gets old so it is good to get the year off to a good start again," Ewan said after adding another green and gold jersey to his palmarès.

"I think this is the strongest team we’ve had since I turned pro and I have been racing the elite crit. I was confident in them and it was always going to be harder to beat some of the bigger number teams. They do it so well and they were so strong."

Although the traditional season opening Bay Crits was absent from the 2018 calendar due to a date clash with the nationals, Ewan was straight back into his racing ways for an important confidence boost ahead of Sunday’s national road race and the Tour Down Under later this month.

"To be honest they are all pretty even," he said of his three national criterium titles. "It is not the biggest race I do for the year but it's just really good to get the confidence boost at the start of the season going forward. It is really important as I need that confidence boost going into the season. I think my form is good again and hopefully I can take it on into the season in Europe."

Although Von Hoff missed the chance to make it a treble and add to his 2014 and 2015 wins, the 30-year-old showed no signs of disappointment post-race.

"It is fantastic to be back with such a fantastic squad in Bennelong-SwissWellness, to be able to race with the guys again and be under the guidance of Andrew Christie-Johnston," von Hoff said. "It is such an honour and I am so happy to be back."

For Von Hoff the race was also an important moment to pay tribute to Jason Lowndes, who was tragically killed in a training ride accident late last year.

"All my respect to his family. I hope this can never happen again. It is just devastating," he said. "My last meal in Girona was with him. We are good friends. It is just such a loss for cycling."

Jones likewise paid tribute to his former teammate and friend.

"He was a tremendous young talent who would have been racing here tonight. It is a tragedy for the sport," he said. "You have to make the most of everyday and love your loved ones. Cherish every day and most the most of everything."

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