Saudi Tour: Caleb Ewan wins stage 1

Caleb Ewan struck at the first time of asking in 2022, winning the opening stage of the Saudi Tour in convincing fashion. 

The Australian Lotto Soudal rider beat Martin Laas (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) to the line in a bunch sprint at Winter Park. 

As well as claiming stage honours, Ewan pulls on the first overall leader's red jersey of the race. 

"There's no better way to start the season than with a win, so I'm super happy with that," he said. 

Ewan took even more encouragement from the manner of his victory, as he was teed up with a strong lead-out from his Lotto Soudal teammates. Thomas De Gendt had helped Marshall the day’s three-rider breakaway, while the rest of the team, with the exception of Maxim Van Gils, was entirely devoted to Ewan in the closing kilometres. 

Jasper De Buyst took charge at the end and piloted Ewan through a crucial right-hand bend in the final 250 metres, giving him the box seat with his rivals poised in his wheel. De Buyst’s lead-out lasted all the way to 100 metres to go, leading to the Belgian himself taking fourth place on the day. 

Ewan, meanwhile, was left with the apparently simple task of finishing it off.

“I’m super happy with how the team performed, I really got delivered perfectly. I think I only had to sprint for 100 metres so big thanks to them, they did a great job,” Ewan said. 

“We have the strongest team here for sure. It’s a bit of new lead out with Rudi [Selig[ coming in and also Jarrad [Drizner]. They did a great job to come into the team straight away and integrate and do it perfectly like that."

Niccolo Bonifazio (TotalEnergies) rounded out the top five, while Dylan Groenewegen was out of position and out of the top 10 on his debut for BikeExchange-Jayco. 

The race continues on Wednesday and runs through Saturday, with at least two more sprint opportunities expected.