Orica-GreenEdge's Michael Matthews crossed the line in first place to win Stage 4 at the Tour de Suisse, beating Tinkoff-Saxo's Peter Sagan and BMC's Greg Van Avermaet, for his first victory since the Giro d'Italia. The win extends Matthews' run of claiming a stage at all four stage races he's started in 2015; Paris-Nice, Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco and the Giro.
"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 teammates Michael Albasini and Daryl Impey had worked hard to catch the five-rider breakaway, which never had more than a three minute advantage on the peloton, before the sprint to the finish to cap off the team effort.
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Albasini had hoped to try for the win near his hometown but knew it was a day for Matthews.
"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," Matthews concluded.
"Today was a really big objective," sport director Neil Stephens said, speaking of Matthews who is building his lead-up to the Tour de France next month. “It was a stage we knew we wanted to go well in, and it was a stage we were not afraid to put ourselves on the line to go for the victory."
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