Matthews back in the mix
After 10 stages of struggles, Australian Michael Matthews was finally able to get back into the mix in the Tour de France, and although he could only manage 17th place behind stage 13 winner Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), he was happy to find his legs for the first time since his crash on stage 3.
“I definitely got sick of being dropped each day,” Matthews said. “I thought today I would have a go at it. I was positioned well and the team did a really good job in helping to bring the breakaway back, I just didn’t quite have the legs in the final few hundred metres.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Matthews was involved in a massive pile-up on the roads to the Mur de Huy together with teammates Simon Gerrans and Daryl Impey, both of whom abandoned with broken bones. He soldiered through many difficult stages, including an agonising fifth stage where his determination to remain in the race was rewarded with the combativity prize.
Time is running out for the sprinters, however. Today's stage was the last flat finish until Paris, and team director Matt White thinks Matthews could have won it had it not been for his injuries.
“It was a perfect finish for a healthy Michael Matthews,” White said. “We still have goals for a stage win and that’s why we gave Michael the best opportunity we could today. If your luck is going to turn around, you are the ones that have to do it.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1VcVpai
No comments:
Post a Comment