Team Katusha has confirmed that three-time green jersey winner Robbie McEwen can now look forward to being at the start of the Tour de France in Rotterdam, The Netherlands next month. The Australian had a 2009 season marred with injury, and has been steadily fighting back to again be competitive in the sprints
Katusha manager Serge Parsan told Radsport News, "We just have to prove that Robbie is in good condition [without injury]. But I have already counted him in the selection."
Last year started off well for McEwen, with a win at the Tour Down Under in January. But only two more wins, the Trofeo Cala Millor and the third stage of the Tour de Picardie were to follow. He then crashed heavily during the second stage of the Tour of Belgium and tore ligaments and tendons in his left knee.
He had successful surgery, but was faced with a long rehabilitation. McEwen raced again in the post Tour criterium in Aalst, Belgium, where he finished second. The screws from his operation were removed in late August, but he had another surgery on his patela tendon in mid-September that kept him sidelined.
His only win this season came in the Trofeo Mallorca stage of the Mallorca Challenge. The 37 year old then faced a further setback when he hurt his knee in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. He came back to finish second in the Scheldeprijs to Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) and then rode the Giro d'Italia, where his best sprint was to fourth place in stage ten.
McEwen is currently competing is the Tour de Suisse, where he has finished top 5 in two stages.