Matthews triumphs at Rund um Köln

2010 U23 world champion Michael Matthews (Rabobank) continues to impress in his first season as a ProTour rider as he sprinted to victory in Germany's Rund um Köln. The 20-year-old Australian topped Marcel Kittel (Skil-Shimano) and Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek) to take his third victory of the season.

"I did not expect to win, but I had good legs today," said Matthews. "And the team was good, so I just had to remain calm and stay out of trouble. This was really an easy day for me.

"It's been a while [since the team won a race] so it's a good win for the team and for myself. I look confidently ahead to the coming races."

The race was dominated by a five-man break comprised of Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek), Cesare Benedetti (NetApp), Dominik Nerz (German National Team), Jarno Gmelich (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) and Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano). The escapees at one point held a six-minute advantage over the peloton but chase efforts primarily undertaken by Vacansoleil-DCM and Rabobank ultimately neutralised the move with 50km remaining in the 203.5km race.

Rabobank, starting the minimum six-rider team, played a smart tactical game, albeit with some risk involved. "Jos van Emden and Coen Vermeltfoort together with Vacansoleil brought the break back, but that also meant that they were gone sixty kilometres from the finish line," said Rabobank team manager Frans Maassen.

The team still had three sprinters in its arsenal, Matthews, Graeme Brown and Theo Bos, but when Brown and Bos were dropped on the final climb Matthews became the primary sprinting option.

"We had the feeling that Matthews would be our man, but we would make our decision after the last climb," said Maassen. "Matthews had at the time only Tom Jelte Slagter to assist him, but fortunately Bos and Brown made it back and could help keep the peloton together."

Despite a number of attacks in the race's endgame, the teams of the sprinters ensured a field sprint finish in which Matthews proved the quickest on the streets of Cologne.