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Tour de France sprint King Robbie McEwen's longest day
this year is likely to be - not in the Pryenees or the Alps -
but in Sydney on January 23. On that day, the 33 year-old
Queenslander will undertake a hectic round of engagements which,
will make a day climbing the steepest inclines the Tour has to
offer, appear easy.
All of this will happen less than 24 hours after finishing six
days of racing in the Adelaide based Tour Down Under in which he
will defend the Sprint Champion's Title. Next morning McEwen
will take the first flight out of Adelaide for a full day of
coaching and PR engagements in Sydney under contract to Events
du Monde and Cycling Australia.
First up, he will host a coaching session in Centennial Park for
budding stars from the NSW Institute of Sport, then attend a
corporate luncheon in the City, followed by a visit to visit the
Randwick Botany Cycling Clubhouse and the Heffron Park criterium
circuit, for a low intensity ride with juniors, members and
visitors after which he will host a dinner at Souths Juniors
Leagues Club before flying home to the Gold Coast at 10pm.
In all of this he plans a sightseeing ride through Sydney
beginning at 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 for the cameras.
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And the next day, McEwen,
Australia's 2005 Cyclist of the Year and Sir Hubert Opperman Award
winner, heads for his European home in Brakel, Belgium, to reunite
with his wife Angelique and son Ewen, to continue preparations for
the European season and, in February, await the birth of a second
child.
McEwen's warmest reception is likely to be at Souths Juniors where
he will be guest of honour among 200 fans who will pay to meet and
eat with Australia's greatest ever road cyclist.
Billed the "Takin' It To...le Tour" night, McEwen will give his
audience the unique experience of becoming his Davitamon-Lotto team
mates for a night and get the feel - albeit from tables and chairs
in the club's Sky Lounge - of a Tour's pre-stage rider briefing and
a look behind the scenes which can only be revealed by a Tour
veteran.
A highlight of the night will be Robbie talking the audience through
Stage 13 of the 2005 Tour - from Miramas to Montpellier - which
McEwen won after his team worked harder than they ever expected in
cruel conditions for the entire journey to get him to the line.
He will also talk about his intense rivalry with fellow Aussie
Stuart O'Grady, the scourge of drugs in sport, his training regimen,
his greatest Tour triumphs - the Sprinter's Green Jersey win on the
Champs Elysees in 1999 and 2002 - and his Tour hopes for 2006.
Robbie will also sign autographs and have his photo taken with
guests.
Tickets for the dinner - entree, main course and beer, wine and soft
drinks, inclusive - are on sale now at Cycling NSW, tel: 9738 5850.
If you wish to be on one of the Randwick Botany tables, please ring
and book via John Buckton on 9315-7801.
Robbie's itinerary in detail:
 | Arrive Centennial Park from Adelaide, breakfast hosted
by NSW IS head cycling coach Gary Sutton. Meet NSW IS junior riders,
talk with them and join them in a low intensity ride through the
Park.
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| At 11.30am visit ANZAC War Memorial, Hyde Park, then
Pool of Remembrance, Archibald Memorial Fountain, Queen's Square,
Parliament House and Macquarie statue, deliver letter of
introduction from Randwick Botany Cycling Club to State Member for
Maroubra, Michael Daly, ride down Macquarie Street to Opera House
for lap of the icon.
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| At 1pm attend City Tattersall's Club for luncheon with
media and corporate representatives, hosted by Events du Monde's
John E. Scott and Cycling Australia's CEO, Mr Graham Fredericks.
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| At 4.30pm visit the Randwick Botany Cycling Clubhouse
and the Heffron Park criterium circuit, for a low intensity ride
with juniors, members and visitorsRandwick Botany Cycling Club's
2.1km raceway at Heffron Park, Maroubra, for low intensity ride with
juniors, members and visitors - all welcome.
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| At 6.30pm attend Souths Juniors dinner and talk Tour de
France until 9pm.
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Further information
John.E.Scott
Events du monde
Tel: 0401 968 175
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