MATTHEWS SPRINTS TO SUCCESS AT THE TOUR DE SUISSE
17 June 2015
The Australian outfit, including local Suisse rider Michael Albasini, hit the front for much of the last 40km, before Matthews launched from the wheel of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff – Sagan) to take the win.
“It was always going to be difficult,” Matthews said. “The way (Sagan) sprinted yesterday was really strong. I knew I just had to glue myself to his wheel and then see what I had left to come over him.”
Matthews benefited from the full commitment of the entire ORICA-GreenEDGE team, but particularly thanked Albasini for sacrificing himself in his home area for the team victory.
“My teammate Michael Albasini, who lives near this area, said he’d love to go for this stage because it’s near his home but that it’s probably a better sprint for me,” Matthews said.
“It’s incredible for a guy of that experience and that I have so much respect for, to help me in a final like this. It’s really special.”
Sport director Neil Stephens said Albasini had identified the stage as a good target for Matthews before the Tour started and the team were prepared to put it all on the road for the result. They made a conscious effort to rid as many riders as they could to eliminate threats.
Five riders formed the breakaway for the day. They were never allowed a lot of freedom, their advantage never extending much beyond three-minutes. A three-circuit final, including the category three Kirchberg climb, was enough to shred the pure sprinters and leave today’s stage to be contested by the punchy fast men.
Despite a series of late attempts to break off the front, the tireless work of ORICA-GreenEDGE, who were joined by FDJ, BMC Racing and Tinkoff Saxo, ensured it came back together for the uphill reduced bunch kick.
