Matthews wins Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal
Australian takes double wins in Canadian WorldTour races
Under the watchful gaze of the winged Goddess of Liberty atop the George-Étienne Cartier Monument, Michael Matthews (Sunweb) found wings of his own to claim the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, and in doing so take his second win of the week after triumphing in Quebec on Friday.
"I started my sprint way too early and I was a little bit worried that I wasn't going to get the win," Matthews said. "It was a super hard day out there and my team did an awesome job to keep all the breakaway together and give me an opportunity to sprint. I only just got these guys on the line and I'm super happy to win."
This time the Australian showcased an even more impressive sprint to surpass a despairing Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida) in the closing metres, while Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) finished third. In doing so, Matthews becomes the first rider since Simon Gerrans in 2014 to win both Canadian races in the same season, and just as with Gerrans four years ago, Matthews was as clinical as he was confident. Even though he started the sprint from fifth wheel in Montreal, and Colbrelli looked to have secured the win with a bold sprint from 150 metres out, the Sunweb rider found another gear to win by less than a bike length.
Matthews, who was overlooked for the Australian Worlds team, put in a near-flawless display but he had his team to thank after a number of dangerous moves scurried clear in the final few laps. Pre-race favouites Tim Wellens and Matej Mohoric both marshalled separate late attacks, while Colbrelli had the superior support in the final after Matthews' final supporting cast were burnt off towards the end of the race.
As the leaders turned the final corner with around 500 metres to go Michael Valgren (Astana) hit the front. Matthews was in fifth but kicked for home and moved to the far side of the road. It looked as though he had sprinted too soon, and had to correct his line when Colbrelli opened the throttle. Colbrelli hit the final 75m with the lead but Matthews' second kick was enough to take the win.
There was a poignant moment, too, when Simon Gerrrans - a rider who clashed with Matthews during their time together at Orica - put in a huge turn on the front of the race in the closing stages in a bid to set up Van Avermaet's chances. Gerrans would later peel off from the bunch and effectively end his WorldTour career before Matthews would win his second WorldTour level one-day race of his career. The torch has well and truly been passed from one Australian rider to another.
Familiar feeling
The race itself, with the climbs of Mont Royal, the Cote de Polytechnique and Claude-Champagne, saw an early break of five go clear inside the opening kilometres. Canadians once again dominated the early move, with Britain's Owain Doull (Team Sky) the only non-Canadian in a break made up of home-grown talent Hugo Houle (Team Astana), Nigel Ellsay (Rally Cycling), Adam Roberge (Canada) and Charles-Etienne Chretien (Canada). The group built up a lead of over five minutes during the opening laps, before Team Sunweb, Lotto Soudal and BMC Racing set about organising a chase.
With blue skies, and perfect race conditions, the speed was relaxed, even when youngster Chretien was dropped from the break with 60km to go.
Bringing it back
Wellens' had his Lotto Soudal squad increase the pace inside the final 40km, while Houle began to struggle at the front. Wellens' move, with 34km to go, opened up the race, with several teams unwilling to carry Matthews and the other sprinters to the finish. The Belgian's attack on Mount Royal was quickly snuffed out before Mohoric went clear with far more purpose on the descent. The Bahrain Merida rider arrived in Canada full of confidence after back-to-back stage race wins in Europe, and he looked supreme - even when his compatriot, and the last man standing from the race's break in 2014, Jan Polanc, joined him with 29km to go. A second counter attack allowed Gregor Mühlberger to make contact with the two Slovenians, and the trio quickly overhauled the day's early break as Sunweb gave chase.
Gerrans' final act in a WorldTour race saw him draw the leaders back to 26 seconds as the race hit the final two laps before the Australian swung off and bowed out. He will apparently race the Japan Cup later in the year but this was an emphatically understated way for a rider of his calibre to exit the sport as he wheeled away, unwilling to take questions from the press.
Sam Oomen, a rider more accustomed to leading Tom Dumoulin up mountain passes, assumed control of the bunch with less than two laps remaining as Mohoric and his two breakaway companions held a 15-second lead.
The time is now
On the final ascent of Mount Royal the Sunweb team, with the help of Lotto, regained control but the parcours of this race always provides an opportunity to attack just after one move is nullified. This time James Knox, Jakob Fuglsang, and Wellens slipped clear with just under 10km to go.
Mohoric was now asked to defend rather than attack, and the Slovenian ushered his Bahrain Merida squad to the front in a bid to set up Colbrelli. On the penultimate climb the trio were reeled in, with Mohoric himself leading the bunch into the final stretch.
Then, with the sun starting to set on a crisp Canadian afternoon, Michael Matthews burst from the pack to claim his win. There may not be a Worlds selection for the Canberra kid this year but with the sun setting on Gerran's career - and most likely Mat Hayman - Matthews has now become Australia's most successful one-day rider in the peloton. What's more, he's done it in just the space of a few days.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb | 5:19:27 |
2 | Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Timo Roosen (Ned) LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Brandon Mcnulty (USA) Rally Cycling | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | James Knox (GBr) Quick-Step Floors | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Team Sky | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | 0:00:07 |
32 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Nathan Earle (Aus) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Ben O'connor (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Jesper Hansen (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott | 0:00:18 |
41 | Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | 0:00:26 |
42 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Mitchelton-Scott | 0:00:27 |
43 | Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Paul Martens (Ger) LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:37 |
45 | Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:20 |
46 | Simon Špilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:01:51 |
47 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | 0:01:58 |
48 | Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) UAE Team Emirates | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Alexander Cataford (Can) Canada | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Jaime Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | James Piccoli (Can) Canada | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Ryan Anderson (Can) Rally Cycling | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally Cycling | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Robert Britton (Can) Rally Cycling | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Sky | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Steve Morabito (Swi) Groupama-FDJ | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:12 |
73 | G Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | 0:02:15 |
74 | Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:02:21 |
75 | Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:02:50 |
76 | Kilian Frankiny (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:02:56 |
77 | Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:03:00 |
78 | Brendan Canty (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | 0:03:02 |
79 | Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:03:04 |
80 | Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:03:08 |
81 | Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:03:12 |
82 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb | 0:03:49 |
83 | Colin Joyce (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:04:32 |
84 | Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data | 0:05:04 |
85 | Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 0:05:06 |
86 | Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Adam James Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:06:57 |
90 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Daan Olivier (Ned) LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) BMC Racing Team | 0:09:40 |
93 | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Nigel Ellsay (Can) Rally Cycling | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates | 0:10:53 |
99 | Adam Roberge (Can) Canada | 0:11:31 |
100 | Nickolas Zukowsky (Can) Canada | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Owain Doull (GBr) Team Sky | 0:12:46 |
102 | Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team | 0:13:40 |
DNF | Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marco Mathis (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step Floors | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robert Thomas Wagner (Ger) LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Bahrain-Merida | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Chad Haga (USA) Team Sunweb | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | William Clarke (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Logan Owen (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Guy Niv (Isr) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Guy Sagiv (Isr) Israel-Cycling Academy | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adam De Vos (Can) Rally Cycling | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pier Andre Cote (Can) Canada | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Charles-Etienne Chretien (Can) Canada | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Edward Walsh (Can) Canada | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
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Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
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