When Michael Matthews spoke about his plans for this year's Spring Classics, and his intention to compete on both the cobbles of Flanders and the hills of Limburg and the Ardennes, one was reminded of the advertising campaign a major pizza concern built around the multi-talented American sportsman Deion Sanders in the 1990s.
Sanders was combining careers in professional baseball and American football when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 1995, and a commercial trading on his dexterity was swiftly put together to mark his arrival at the NFL's marquee franchise. The spot shows Sanders locked in tense negotiations with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at Texas Stadium. "So what's it going to be, Deion? Football or baseball?" Jones asks. Sanders shrugs: "Both, boss."
"Offense or defense?" Jones continues. Sanders, a cornerback with a penchant for cameos as a wide receiver, nonchalantly repeats the previous answer: "Both." When contract talks are interrupted by a pizza delivery, Sanders is offered his choice of bases, and responds with the same punchline: "Both."
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In truth, Sanders – aka Prime Time, aka Neon Deion – had an outsized public persona more in keeping with the one affected by Peter Sagan, but in terms of sheer athletic versatility, Matthews is perhaps his equivalent in the professional peloton of today.
In an era of increasing specialization, Matthews is firm in his intention to play in both directions over the coming weeks. Last spring saw him test the waters in the cobbled Classics with an assured display in his first Gent-Wevelgem appearance in six years, and then barely a month later, he surpassed all expectations to place fourth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. At the Tour de France, meanwhile, he was regularly on the offensive in the mountains in search of the intermediate sprint points that eventually yielded the green jersey.
When Matthews sketched out his 2018 schedule with Team Sunweb, the key question was whether to focus on the cobbled Classics or the Ardennes. It didn't take long for him to reach an answer. Both.
Cobbles
From Via Roma to the Côte de Ans
The green and the gold
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/matthews-scared-of-the-classics-no-im-excited
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