Australia could have team in Tour de France

Fri 10 Sep

The dream of having an Australian cycling team racing at the Tour de France could be only a few weeks away from becoming reality following Robbie McEwen's move to Pegasus Sports.

Pegasus have confirmed McEwen as their first big-name signing as they prepare their formal application to cycling's world governing body for a ProTour licence.

They could know by November 1 whether they are in the ProTour, which would virtually assure the team of a Tour start.

There have been several failed attempts in the last decade to create a top-level Australian professional road cycling team.

But owner Chris White has spent several years developing the Fly V team, which has enjoyed plenty of success in the United States, and is "quietly confident" he can now elevate the operation to ProTour standard.

The signing of McEwen certainly gives the proposal added credibility.

"A rider of his calibre is tremendous to have within our team, it certainly does stake a really strong claim as we grow towards the ProTour," White said.

McEwen has won 12 Tour de France stages and is also a three-time winner of the Tour's sprint classification.

The 38-year-old will leave Russian team Katusha to join Pegasus.

"I've known Chris White for 20 years and know many of the current staff and riders," McEwen said in a statement.

"The team has built an impressive record in North America over the past two years, and with their move into Europe in 2011, the timing and the vibe could not be better.'' - aap

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