Michael Matthews Appreciation Thread

[yaco]

He is still a chance if he can do better in the bunch sprints because he can pick up points in hillier terrain like Sagan.

 

[boneshaker]

An interesting article on velonews

https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/commentary/commentary-an-emotional-setback-for-michael-matthews-in-colmar_496678

 

[42x16ss]

A good result to get 3rd in MSR, his first race back from lockdown. Then check out how he had to do it! :

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[yaco]

Matthews has been given a poor program by Sunweb - he'd be better to accept less dollars to return to Mitchelton where he would be given the pick of the calendar.

 

[tobydawq]

Matthews has been given a poor program by Sunweb

It's insane what they did to him. Absolutely insane. They didn't deserve to have him win a monument for them.

 

[movingtarget]

Would love to see him win a monument. I thought he might have won one by now. Still racking up the podiums. If Gerrans can win one, Matthews should be able to do the same.

 

[jaylew]

Would love to see him win a monument. I thought he might have won one by now. Still racking up the podiums. If Gerrans can win one, Matthews should be able to do the same.

He definitely could but might need to go to another team to get more opportunities. He obviously wanted and expected to do the Tour + classics this year instead of the Giro. 6th in his first RVV, you'd think they'd let him go back.

I'd have much rather seen him do Liége, Brabantse Pijl, Amstel and Flanders. Who knows, maybe he'd have finally given Roubaix a go as well?

 

[42x16ss]

It's insane what they did to him. Absolutely insane. They didn't deserve to have him win a monument for them.

And to hear of it by press conference was just another blow. I strongly doubt that he's going to renew.

 

[42x16ss]

Would love to see him win a monument. I thought he might have won one by now. Still racking up the podiums. If Gerrans can win one, Matthews should be able to do the same.

If Gerrans can somehow get 2, Matthews should certainly get at least one.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I am surprised that an old Bling thread has so few posts.

Come on! Us Aussies aren't all as unlikeable as Gerrans!

 

[yaco]

Matthews could have stayed at Mitchelton where he was well supported tem,albeit the team developed a stronger GC focus BUT he got an exceptional offer from Sunweb - Anyway he's contracted for 2021.

 

[jaylew]

Wasn't conflict/leadership sharing with Gerrans part of the reason he left?

 

[Leinster]

Wasn't conflict/leadership sharing with Gerrans part of the reason he left?

Pretty sure it was primarily the switch to GC focus. Gerrans is 10 years older than Bling and left for BMC a year after Matthews moved to Sunweb.

 

[tobydawq]

Pretty sure it was primarily the switch to GC focus. Gerrans is 10 years older than Bling and left for BMC a year after Matthews moved to Sunweb.

I think it had to do with Gerrans. It was quite a shitshow the way they rode Amstel in Matthews' final year, and I think that was what prompted him to go elsewhere.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

What does his program look like this year anyway?

 

[Bonimenier]

What does his program look like this year anyway?

He's riding Tirreno and Giro and some smaller races, so no Tour, no Classics,... Pretty disgraceful program that Sunweb gave him.

His next race is Lombardia, I believe.

 

[tobydawq]

Wait till the Australian National Team doesn't choose him because they want to ride for Porte only.

That went well two years ago...

 

[Bonimenier]

Wait till the Australian National Team doesn't choose him because they want to ride for Porte only.

That went well two years ago...

It seems more and more likely that there won't be a WC this year so that could spare him a disappointment.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

He's riding Tirreno and Giro and some smaller races, so no Tour, no Classics,... Pretty disgraceful program that Sunweb gave him.

His next race is Lombardia, I believe.

No classics, huh? Well, that's disappointing. I've always thought that Flanders should suit him well, and then of course the Ardennes should certainly be on his calender.

 

[yaco]

I think it had to do with Gerrans. It was quite a shitshow the way they rode Amstel in Matthews' final year, and I think that was what prompted him to go elsewhere.

It had nothing to do with Gerrans - Why do people perpetuate foundless rumours - My previous post gave the reasons.

 

[yaco]

Wait till the Australian National Team doesn't choose him because they want to ride for Porte only.

That went well two years ago...

Porte's not good enough to ride the world's, though Brad McGee doesn't have much idea - McGee is the same guy who at the world's in 2015 or 2016 had four riders to support Gerrans and three riders support Matthews - For this world's you make Haig the leader who could get a top 10 on this course - Finally, I doubt Matthews will get a gig in the World's in 2020.

 

[tobydawq]

It had nothing to do with Gerrans - Why do people perpetuate foundless rumours - My previous post gave the reasons.

Good that you know what goes on inside Matthews' head... Of course it had to do with Gerrans, Matthews must have been sick of not getting opportunities (in all the races he would want) because the team was fond of their long-time star, even if he was beginning to decline.

 

[tobydawq]

Porte's not good enough to ride the world's, though Brad McGee doesn't have much idea - McGee is the same guy who at the world's in 2015 or 2016 had four riders to support Gerrans and three riders support Matthews - For this world's you make Haig the leader who could get a top 10 on this course - Finally, I doubt Matthews will get a gig in the World's in 2020.

Of course Porte is not good enough, he wasn't in 2018 either. It was shocking that he was left out. The guy who had been top four in the previous three editions.

It's not exactly as if I would put Matthews at the top of the list of favourites for the Worlds but he certainly should be given a spot if he wishes to have one.

 

[inthepink]

Is Matthews riding Tirreno, LBL and Amstel.....could do well in those

 

[tobydawq]

Not the latter two as he will for some reason ride the Giro instead.