Michael Matthews (cyclist)

Michael James Matthews (born 26 September 1990) is an Australian professional road and track cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Team BikeExchange.[5]

Michael Matthews
Matthews at the 2017 Tour de France
Personal information
Full nameMichael James Matthews
NicknameBling
Born (1990-09-26) 26 September 1990
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight72 kg (159 lb; 11 st 5 lb)
Team information
Current teamTeam BikeExchange
Disciplines
  • Road
  • Track
RoleRider
Rider typeSprinter
Puncheur
Professional teams
2010Team Jayco–Skins
2011–2012Rabobank
2013–2016Orica–GreenEDGE[2]
2017–2020Team Sunweb[3][4]
2021–Team BikeExchange
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
Points classification (2017)
3 individual stages (2016, 2017)
Giro d'Italia
2 individual stages (2014, 2015)
2 TTT stages (2014, 2015)
Vuelta a España
3 individual stages (2013, 2014)

One-day races and Classics

GP de Québec (2018, 2019)
GP de Montreal (2018)
Bretagne Classic (2020)
Clásica de Almería (2012)

Other

UCI Oceania Tour (2009–10)

Career

Early career

He was an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder,[6] and in 2010 he became the Under 23 Road Race World Champion.[7]

Matthews left Rabobank at the end of the 2012 season, and joined Orica–GreenEDGE on an initial two-year contract from the 2013 season.[2]

Orica–GreenEDGE (2013–2016)
Matthews wearing the pink jersey at the 2014 Giro d'Italia

Matthews was selected to ride the 2014 Giro d'Italia. His Orica–GreenEDGE team won the opening team time trial in Belfast. On Stage 2, Matthews finished eighth behind Marcel Kittel in a sprint finish, also in Belfast, to take the pink jersey for the leader of the general classification from teammate Svein Tuft. Matthews won Stage 6, a hill top finish at Monte Cassino. Matthews withdrew from the Giro after Stage 10 after suffering a crash on Stage 9.[8]

In 2015, Matthews won the points classification jersey of Paris–Nice as well as a stage. He finished in third place in Milan–San Remo.[9] He also met success at the opening stage of the Tour of the Basque Country by outsprinting a group of about fifty riders after a hilly day.[10] He then went on to a second place in the Brabantse Pijl, winning the sprint of the group after nearly getting to lone escapee Ben Hermans.[11] At the Amstel Gold Race, Matthews grabbed another notable result, when he came in third of the final dash for the line while being part of a small leading group.[12] At the Tour de Suisse, Matthews won stage 4 after following Peter Sagan's wheel in the sprint and passing him in the final metres.[13] He was named in the start list for the Tour de France.[14]

In the 2016 Tour de France, Matthews out-sprinted a breakaway group of 7 riders to win stage 10, his first stage win in the Tour de France, completing a set of Grand Tour stage victories.

In August 2016, it was confirmed that Matthews would join Team Sunweb for the 2017 season.[15]

Team Sunweb (2017–2020)
Matthews wearing the green jersey at the 2017 Tour de France

Matthews was expected to contend for the points classification at the 2017 Tour de France, and his chances were boosted on Stage 4 after an incident during the final sprint which saw Mark Cavendish forced out of the race through injury and Peter Sagan, winner of the classification in the previous 5 Tours, disqualified.[16][17] Matthews won Stage 14, a reduced peloton uphill sprint finish at Rodez.[18] On Stage 16, the high pace set by Matthews' Team Sunweb dropped the green jersey wearer Kittel; Matthews, who was second to Kittel in points classification, won the stage.[19] On Stage 17, Kittel crashed and withdrew from the Tour, putting Matthews in the green jersey.[20] Matthews retained the jersey to Paris.

Team BikeExchange

In August 2020, Matthews signed a two-year contract with Mitchelton–Scott, later renamed as Team BikeExchange, from the 2021 season.[21]

Personal life

In August 2015, he married his Slovakian girlfriend Katarína Hajzerová.

Career achievements

Major results
2008
1st John Woodman Memorial
Internazionale Bresciana
1st Points classification
1st Prologue & Stage 3b (ITT)
1st Stage 7 Tour of the Murray River
2nd Overall GP Général Patton
1st Stage 2
8th Road race, UCI Juniors World Championships
2009
Oceania Road Championships
1st Road race
1st Time trial
Oceania Under-23 Road Championships
1st Road race
2nd Time trial
National Under-23 Road Championships
2nd Road race
3rd Time trial
2nd Gran Premio della Liberazione
9th Overall Tour of Japan
2010
1st Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships
Tour de Langkawi
1st Stages 1 & 3
1st Stage 1 (TTT) Thüringen Rundfahrt der U23
2nd Trofeo Banca Popolare di Vicenza
2nd Ronde van Vlaanderen Beloften
2nd Gran Premio della Liberazione
National Under-23 Road Championships
3rd Road race
3rd Time trial
4th Overall Tour of Japan
1st Stage 1 (ITT)
5th Overall Tour of Wellington
1st Stage 4
7th Overall Ringerike GP
1st Stages 2 & 3
8th Overall Tour de l'Avenir
2011
1st Rund um Köln
1st Stage 2 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic
1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Murcia
3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
3rd Eschborn–Frankfurt City Loop
4th Overall Tour Down Under
1st Stage 3
5th Overall Delta Tour Zeeland
6th Grote Prijs Jef Scherens
2012
1st Clásica de Almería
Tour of Utah
1st Sprints classification
1st Stage 3
9th Overall Tour Down Under
10th Brabantse Pijl
2013
Vuelta a España
1st Stages 5 & 21
Held after Stages 6 & 7
Tour of Utah
1st Sprints classification
1st Stages 2 & 4
National Road Championships
2nd Road race
3rd Time trial
2nd Vuelta a La Rioja
2014
1st Vuelta a La Rioja
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 1 (TTT) & 6
Held after Stages 2–7
Held after Stages 2–7
Held after Stages 6 & 7
Vuelta a España
1st Stage 3
Held after Stages 3–5
Held after Stage 4
Tour of Slovenia
1st Points classification
1st Stage 1 (ITT)
1st Stage 3 Tour of the Basque Country
2nd Brabantse Pijl
6th Trofeo Ses Salines
7th Trofeo Palma
2015
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 1 (TTT) & 3
Held after Stages 2–3
Held after Stages 1–3
Paris–Nice
1st Points classification
1st Stage 3
Tour of Alberta
1st Points classification
1st Stage 2
1st Stage 1 Tour of the Basque Country
1st Stage 4 Tour de Suisse
2nd Road race, UCI Road World Championships
2nd Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
2nd Brabantse Pijl
3rd Milan–San Remo
3rd Amstel Gold Race
Combativity award Stage 5 Tour de France
2016
1st Vuelta a La Rioja
1st Stage 10 Tour de France
Paris–Nice
1st Points classification
1st Prologue & Stage 2
UCI Road World Championships
3rd Team time trial
4th Road race
3rd London–Surrey Classic
4th Bretagne Classic
4th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
5th Brabantse Pijl
5th Amstel Gold Race
5th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
2017
UCI Road World Championships
1st Team time trial
3rd Road race
Tour de France
1st Points classification
1st Stages 14 & 16
1st Stage 1 Tour of the Basque Country
1st Stage 3 Tour de Suisse
3rd Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
3rd London–Surrey Classic
4th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
5th Bretagne Classic
8th Gent–Wevelgem
8th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
9th UCI World Tour
10th Amstel Gold Race
2018
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
1st Prologue Tour de Romandie
2nd Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
2nd Overall BinckBank Tour
1st Stage 7
2nd Eschborn–Frankfurt
4th Bretagne Classic
5th La Flèche Wallonne
7th UCI World Tour
7th Milan–San Remo
2019
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
Volta a Catalunya
1st Points classification
1st Stages 2 & 6
4th Brabantse Pijl
6th Tour of Flanders
8th La Flèche Wallonne
2020
1st Bretagne Classic
3rd Milan–San Remo
7th Road race, UCI Road World Championships

Grand Tour record
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Giro d'Italia — DNS-11 DNS-14 — — — —
Stages won — 2 2 — — — —
Points classification — — — — — — —
Tour de France — — 152 110 69 DNS-5 67
Stages won — — 0 1 2 0 0
Points classification — — 73 3 1 — 5
Vuelta a España 110 75 — — — — —
Stages won 2 1 — — — — —
Points classification 9 6 — — — — —
Legend
1Winner
2–3Top three-finish
4–10Top ten-finish
11–Other finish
DNEDid Not Enter
DNF-xDid Not Finish (retired on stage x)
DNS-xDid Not Start (no started on stage x)
HDFinished outside time limit (occurred on stage x)
DSQDisqualified
N/ARace/classification not held
NRNot Ranked in this classification

Classics results timeline
Monument 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Milan–San Remo 107 — — 78 3 59 12 7 12 3
Tour of Flanders — — — — — — — — 6
Paris–Roubaix Has not contested during his career
Liège–Bastogne–Liège — — 128 — — — 4 63 35
Giro di Lombardia — — DNF — — — DNF DNF — —
Classic 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad — — DNF — — — — DNF 12 —
E3 Harelbeke — — — — — — — 13 — NH
Gent–Wevelgem 69 — — — — — 8 13 —
Amstel Gold Race — — DNF 12 3 5 10 24 16 NH
La Flèche Wallonne — — 112 — DNF 21 67 5 8 —
Clásica de San Sebastián — — DNF — — — — 55 — NH
Bretagne Classic 134 48 — — — 4 5 4 14 1
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec — DNF — — 2 5 3 1 1 NH
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal — 71 — — 19 4 8 1 19

Awards
  • 2017 - "Oppy", for the Australian Cyclist of the Year, Men's Elite Road Cyclist of the Year and the People's Choice Award.[22]
  • 2017 - ACT Sport Male Athlete of the Year.[23]

References
  1. "Michael Matthews - Team Sunweb". Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  2. Benson, Daniel (15 August 2012). "Michael Matthews signs for Orica-GreenEdge". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  3. "Team Sunweb confirm 2019 men's and women's rosters". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  4. "Team Sunweb". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  5. "GreenEDGE Cycling". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  6. AIS Athletes at 2010 Commonwealth Games Archived 28 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Australia's Matthews grabs home turf title
  8. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matthews-withdraws-from-the-giro-ditalia/
  9. "Results: 2015 Milano-Sanremo". VeloNews. Competitor Group, Inc. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  10. "Matthews wins Pais Vasco opener". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 6 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  11. "Hermans holds off pack for Brabantse Pijl win". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  12. "Kwiatkowski sprints to first victory in rainbow jersey in Amstel Gold Race". VeloNews. Competitor Group, Inc. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  13. Stuart Clarke (16 June 2015). "Michael Matthews wins stage four of the Tour de Suisse as crash delays Thomas". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media Sports & Leisure network. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  14. "2015 Tour de France start list". Velo News. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  15. http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/article/2016/08/05/michael-matthews-move-giant-alpecin-confirmed
  16. Fotheringham, William (4 July 2017). "Mark Cavendish out of Tour and Peter Sagan disqualified after horror crash". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  17. Robertshaw, Henry (4 July 2017). "Peter Sagan disqualified from Tour de France". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  18. Westemeyer, Susan (15 July 2017). "Tour de France: Matthews wins in Rodez as Froome moves into yellow". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  19. "Tour de France 2017: Chris Froome retains lead as Michael Matthews takes second win". BBC Sport. BBC. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  20. Benson, Daniel (18 July 2017). "Tour de France: Matthews wins stage 16". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  21. "Mitchelton-Scott announce Michael Matthews' return". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  22. Polkinghorne, David (17 November 2017). "Tour de France star Michael Matthews wins triple crown at Cycling Australia awards". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  23. Dutton, Chris (1 December 2017). "Caroline Buchanan, Michael Matthews, Schoolboy rugby big winners at ACT sport awards". Canberra Times. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
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