McEwen chucks the classics

Eurosport | McEwen out of spring classics

Robbie McEwen will skip the spring classics, focusing instead on getting over the flu, and being well in time for the Giro d'Italia in May.

"It's already the second flu attack in two months. I've had enough, I want to be healthy again, so riding the bike is now the second most important thing, the first of course is to be healthy," said McEwen.

That's a shot in the arm for Fast Freddie Rodriguez, normally Davitamon-Lotto's second sprinter.