Matthews matches Gerrans with Canadian WorldTour double

It has been a rollercoaster season for last year’s Tour de France points champion, with fewer ups than downs. However, things are looking up for the 27-year-old Australian from Canberra after lowering his saddle 8 millimetres and starting a tear in the latter half of the year.

Fresh off a win in Québec City on Friday at the first of two Canadian WorldTour races over the weekend, Matthews claimed his second straight win to close out the double with a pair of aces — his third win in four tries dating back to his Stage 7 victory in the Binck Bank Tour (2.UWT) finale to finish second overall and fourth on points. Between the two, he finished fourth at the French one-day race — Bretagne Classic (1.UWT).

Matthews took the Grand Prix Cyclste de Montréal (1.UWT) win in fine fashion with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Italian Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) on an uphill sprint finish following the 16-lap, 195.2-kilometre city circuit, and with 2016 race winner and seven-time Grand Prix podium placer Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing) of Belgium in third.

“Sonny was very strong, he rode a very good race,” said Matthews after the race. “I was suffering on the climb and Sonny was going over easily. I was a bit scared because he is a super fast sprinter. But the team did a great job to keep the bunch together for a bunch sprint.

“I’m just super happy I could finish for them today.”

For the 28-year-old Colbrelli, who has two stage wins on the season dating back to a queen stage victory atop Hatta Dam at the Dubai Tour (2.HC) to start his season in February.

“I really gave it my all and I’m really sorry to have lost in the last 20 metres because my team did an incredible work,” he said. “I also wanted to be in contention in Québec City, but I was jet-lagged and tactically it was a bad day.

“[Enrico] Gasparotto, [Matej] Mohorič, [Domenico] Pozzovivo did a hell of a job for me and I thank them very much,” he continued. “These are races that really suit me and I hope to be back.”

With the win, Matthews becomes only the second rider in nine editions of both races to do the double in the same year with the other coming from countryman and former Orica-GreenEdge teammate Simon Gerrans (BMC Racing).

“I still cant really believe it myself,” admitted Matthews, who has been plagued by injury, illness and improper bike fit all season. “When I saw what Simon Gerrans did in 2014 I was at the Vuelta and it was something special for Cycling Australia to see an Aussie achieve what Simon achieved in these races.

“He had so many great wins, I always looked up to him. It was great to have him here in the race to witness what I did. It’s also very special because I think it was his last WorldTour race today.”

Despite being disappointed by his omission from the Australian national team selected to start the 2018 UCI Road World Championships in Innsbruck later this month, Matthews is still cautiously optimistic.

“I’d still love to represent Australia at World Championship,” said Matthews, who has podiumed in each of his last three Road Worlds starts, including second in 2015, fourth in 2016 and third last year. “Maybe something after this race will change, but for now I’m out.”

For full race results, click here.