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Robbie McEwen joins Seven after being cut from SBS Cycling commentary

"They have axed me from the team to 'deliver their broadcast differently'" Robbie McEwen says of SBS.

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Former SBS cycling commentator Robbie McEwen will be part of Seven’s commentary team at the upcoming Santos Festival of Cycling in Adelaide, after being dumped by SBS.

He will feature alongside Anna Meares and Matthew Keenan.

McEwen, who has commentated Tour de France on SBS since 2017, took to social media on Sunday, to vent over his axing.

“Great #roadnats22 National Champs road races. Congrats to the riders who gave us the spectacle. You’ll no longer hear me on comms on any @sbs cycling broadcast. They have axed me from the team to ‘deliver their broadcast differently’,” he wrote on Twitter.

McEwen said he was not provided with a valid reason for being dropped.

“I’m assuming someone is pushing their own agenda in axing me. I loved doing it & I’m really disappointed. Direct your opinions to @CyclingCentral @SBSSport & attn to the executive producer if you’d like to let them know how you feel about it,” he continued.

SBS said in a statement: “Robbie has been a valued member of our cycling commentary line-up for a number of events over the last six years, but we’re exploring a different approach in 2022.

“While his contract has come to an end, we thank Robbie for all that he’s brought to the role during his time with us.”

McEwen rejected suggestions of budget cuts and told The Age, “I don’t expect SBS to tell the real story behind the change, and they’ll just weather the storm on social media and wait for it to blow over.”

Cycling analyst and SBS World News presenter Michael Tomalaris departed SBS in October after more than 30 years with the broadcaster.

He revealed he was asked to leave SBS for what he called a ‘minor breach’ of the broadcaster’s code of conduct -but did not divulged what that breach was.

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  1. Robbie was great in The Tour commentary alongside Keenan and will be missed but perhaps his price was getting too high and there were other things to do with that money?

    1. No they are keeping Bridie O’Donnell and Mathew Keenan. Two is cheaper than three, however, Keenan tends to drone on about stats and history and he was much better with McEwen who livens things up, injects, and makes the kilometres go by much faster. He is also Australia’s most experienced Sprinter at UCI level. SBS was subject to a stage-managed public attack by attack by young staff (as was NIDA), a couple of years ago for being sexist, racist and even colonialist. In both cases management tried to hold the line but they are being forced out and activists and radicals are being promoted. They dumped McEwen straight after the National’s finished, he already has a higher paying work at Seven and Nine are going to need people for the World Championships.

      1. I really liked Robbie on The Tour as well. You’re right about Keenan just going on about Stats. Also – it’s turned into a bit of a personal joke in our house, but always he says everything is “some … years old.”
        “This town was settled some 300 years ago.”
        “This abbey was built some 980 years ago.”

        You’ll never unhear it now.

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