Published March 18, 2022 05:31AM
Caleb Ewan out of Milan-San Remo as list of favorites continues to thin
'I was in good form and ready for a hard race, but like many riders, I faced a stomach flu at the worst time,' Ewan says.
Lotto-Soudal speedster Caleb Ewan is the latest of a growing list to pull out of Milan-San Remo.
The team confirmed Friday that Ewan will not start Saturday’s monument due to illness. Ewan, twice second on the Via Roma, had placed San Remo at the center of his spring ambitions and ranked high in the bookies’ pre-race rankings.
“I am disappointed that I am not able to take the start,” Ewan said in a message from the team. “I was in good form and ready for a hard race, but like many riders, I faced a stomach flu at the worst time. Together with the team we had to decide that it is better to now focus on different goals.”
Ewan is one of a swathe of riders struck down with stomach problems ahead of La Primavera.
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Both Sam Bennett and defending champion Jasper Stuyven were the latest on the infirmary list overnight. Before them, Sonny Colbrelli and former MSR-winners John Degenkolb and Julian Alaphilippe also pulled out as illness sweeps through the bunch.