Matthews returns to cycling form in Canada

Monday, 10 September 2018:

MICHAEL MATTHEWS of Australia riding for Team Sunweb celebrates on the podium after winning the green points jersey of the 2017 Le Tour de France in Paris, France.
MICHAEL MATTHEWS of Australia riding for Team Sunweb celebrates on the podium after winning the green points jersey of the 2017 Le Tour de France in Paris, France.


Australian cycling star Michael Matthews has brightened a tough season with two wins in Canada.

Matthews won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, two days after taking out the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec.

He's the first rider to claim the two Canadian WorldTour races since compatriot Simon Gerrans in 2014.

They are also Matthews' first one-day wins at WorldTour level.

After winning the green jersey at last year's Tour de France, this season has been much tougher for the Canberra native.

Matthews broke his shoulder at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race in February.

While he recovered to finish seventh the following month at Milan-Sanremo and then took fifth in April at La Fleche Wallonne, Matthews had struggled to rediscover his top form.

He had to pull out of the Tour de France in the opening week because of illness.

Matthews has also expressed his disappointment at missing out on the Australian team for the world road championships later this month in Innsbruck, Austria.

His only other wins this season were in the prologue at the Tour of Romandie and a stage last month in the Dutch Binckbank Tour.

On Sunday, the Team Sunweb rider shot past Italian Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) to take the win and Belgian ace Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) was third.






AAP