"I still believe I have it in me": Michael Matthews targets Tour de France green jersey and Milan-Sanremo

Michael Matthews has kicked off his 2026 season in perfect fashion, claiming his first victory of the year at the GP Castellón. With early form secured, the Australian veteran is turning his attention to the biggest prizes on the calendar, though he admits the path to success is complicated by the quality of certain riders that are eyeing the same races as him.

Speaking on the Roadman Cycling Podcast in quotes gathered by IDL Pro Cycling, the former Tour de France Green Jersey winner revealed that he still has ambitions to reclaim the maillot vert, even as he enters the latter stages of his career.

Matthews believes the evolution of the Tour de France route actually plays to his strengths. With organizers designing fewer flat, "pure" sprint stages, the door is open for a versatile rider who can survive the hills to collect points.

"I still believe I can win the green jersey," Matthews said confidently. "With fewer pure sprint stages in recent years, I still believe I have it in me."

However, the Australian was remarkably candid about the reality of chasing such a prestigious prize. Winning the points classification requires more than just individual speed. It demands a squad dedicated to controlling intermediate sprints and lead-outs for three weeks, which is a luxury Matthews does not expect to have in 2026.

"To win the green jersey, just like the yellow jersey, you need a full team committed to that goal," he admitted. "I probably won’t get that this year."

Beyond the Grand Tours, Matthews has his sights set on the first monument of the year: Milan-Sanremo. It is a race where he has extremely close history, including a second-place finish in 2024. It will be a nearly impossible task this year however, as he acknowledges that the landscape of the race has changed with the aggressive racing of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel. Still, he refuses to be intimidated.

"I’ve been very close before, but with Pogacar and Van der Poel in the race, it will obviously be difficult, but I still have belief," Matthews said. "It pushes me to get the best out of myself every season. So that this year I can compete with those kinds of guys," he concluded.