Caleb Ewan could be one of the biggest name riders to change teams at the end of the season after it was reported that he is close to signing a deal to join Lotto-Soudal for the 2019 season.
As reported by Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad (opens in new tab), Lotto-Soudal are lining up 23-year-old Ewan as a replacement for André Greipel who is out of contract at the end of the year.
Despite his tender age, Ewan has already picked up nearly 30 professional victories, including wins on stages of the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, and second place behind Vincenzo Nibali in the 2018 edition of Milan-San Remo.
Ewan joined Mitchelton-Scott, which was then known as Orica-Greenedge, towards the end of the 2014 season after a year-and-a-half at the Jayco-AIS development team.
At the team he has enjoyed growing success over the last few years, including a growing number of wins in Europe after he was criticised early on for only being able to perform at his best while racing Down Under.
According to Het Nieuwsblad, Ewan has been offered a new deal at Mitchelton-Scott, but has decided not to sign as he looks to start a new chapter in his career.
The likely destination looks to be Lotto-Soudal, with the Belgian team trying to sign a top-level sprinter as wins for the previously prolific André Greipel start to dry up with the German turning 36 during the Tour de France. Ewan has apparently already been offered a contract, but has not yet signed as he hopes his stock will rise with victories in the Tour in July.
Greipel was reportedly offered a new one-year deal by the Lotto-Soudal management, but declined to sign as he held out hope for a two-year deal instead.
With Ewan being lined up as a replacement, Greipel could be on his way out of the team along with fellow sprinter and Classics man Jens Debusschere.
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