Caleb Calls Time
10 MAY 2025
Caleb Ewan retires: Reflecting on a decade of impact at the Santos Tour Down Under.
A decade feels like far longer in the exacting world of elite sport. In cycling it’s practically a lifetime. Caleb Ewan arrived at the 2016 Santos Tour Down Under as a promising junior, riding with ORICA GreenEDGE and putting the peloton on notice.
Explosive power? Absolutely. But it was more than that. Ewan’s tenacity was obvious from that pivotal appearance and would continue to underpin his success on cycling’s biggest stages. Now, following news he has retired with immediate effect, we look back at the Pocket Rocket’s impact on home soil.
2016
Ewan came to play. Two years after his debut Santos Tour Down Under appearance with Team UniSA– Australia, the new GreenEDGE recruit delivered a Villawood Men’s Classic win – then kept going. He took the opening race stage from Prospect to Lyndoch, finishing the week with the sprint jersey and a criterium victory on the streets of Adelaide.
2017
How best to describe Ewan’s 2017 campaign? Emphatic. He again showed brilliance in the opening hitout, defeating rivals including Danny Van Poppel and Peter Sagan to take the Classic. Then came nothing short of domination: victory on stages one, three, four and six. Richie Porte earned overall victory that year, but sprints – and the green jersey – belonged to Ewan.
2018
Dual world champion Sagan was the man to beat at the 2018 Santos Tour Down Under, and his battles with Ewan set up a series of close-fought finishes. It was stage two from Unley to Stirling where the Aussie broke through.
2019
All eyes were on Ewan – this time with his new team Lotto Soudal – as the season began. He again made the Classic his own, securing victory over Sagan and fellow Australian Alex Edmondson of Mitchelton-Scott.
2020
The last Santos Tour Down Under before two years of pandemic-prompted domestic editions of the event – and further triumph for Ewan. His opening move: another Classic, followed by wins on stages two and four.
2023
Ewan was back in Team Australia colours for his 2023 appearance. And for a fifth time he brought that signature sprint to Adelaide’s city streets, unleashing in the final Classic straight to overcome rivals including Belgian Jordi Meeus.
Stuey reflects
Santos Tour Down Under race director Stuart O’Grady OAM said Ewan’s impact on Australian road cycling over the past decade had been incredibly positive.
“I remember when he first arrived on the scene, looking up to Robbie McEwen like he was an absolute rockstar,” O’Grady said.
“All he wanted to do was become the world’s fastest sprinter. And win.
“On many occasions he did just that. His raw speed, huge power and aerodynamic position saw him win on the world’s very biggest stages.”
O’Grady said Ewan loved the Santos Tour Down Under and the support from his home country that came with it.
“Those victories catapulted him into the season ahead with numerous wins under his belt, ready to tackle Milan San Remo, the Giro and Tour de France,” he said.
“For me his victory on the Champs-Elysees (at the 2019 Tour de France) was his greatest.”
O’Grady also recognised Ewan’s grace.
“Caleb was a fierce competitor on the bike and humble gentleman once he climbed off,” he said.
“Everyone at the TDU and all around Australia wishes Caleb and his family all the very best for the next chapter of his life.
“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege.”
