"I wouldn't be surprised if you see him there" - Michael Matthews on Tadej Pogacar's potential Tour Down Under return and recovery from injury
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar is recovering from the injuries suffered at the Vuelta a España but the priority at this point in time is already the 2027 season. Michael Matthews, a training partner and friend, has discussed the Slovenian's recovery and a potential debut in Australia next season.
Matthews has had a rough year with career-threatening injuries suffered in March on a training accident, but has otherwise experienced a year where he's shown to still reach his best level - even in a peloton that races in a completely different gear when comparing to Matthews' best-performing years.
But there are just about enough goals left in his list to keep him highly motivated. One such is Milano-Sanremo. "After this year with how everything went, obviously I want to have another good crack at it," Matthews said on the Domestique Hotseat podcast.
In 2024 Matthews was second; and in 2025 he was fourth at the Italian monument. He had previously been on the podium on two different occasions. With Tadej Pogacar likely to be absent next spring, the race could become more suited to the puncheur-sprinter type as is the case with Matthews, who is yet to win a monument in his career.
Recently, Matthews has finished second at the Montréal World Championships, one of his best ever climbing exhibitions. "Showing the level I can still get to, I think it's pretty exciting to see what's possible again next year."
Next year will mark the 10-year anniversary of his Tour de France green jersey, but he remains at a level that allowed him to dream big. "Obviously I'm not young anymore. I'm running out of chances, but at the same time, I think the level that I got to this year was quite impressive."
"I still believe it's possible to fight for the victory there. Obviously to win it is going to take a special day, but I believe that day will eventually come for me."
Michael Matthews on the podium of the Montréal World Championships
Matthews on challenging Pogacar
Part of Matthews' motivation to remain motivated at the top of the sport after over a decade is his friendship and partnership with Tadej Pogacar. Both are residents in Monaco and often train together, lifting the Australian's level.
"Tadej, he's one of my best friends and he's obviously a superstar of our sport and forever will be. But at the same time, he's also another competitor. Another guy that I would like to race against and push my level to see where I can get to."
At times, the duo's ambitions have collided, as is the obvious example of Milano-Sanremo - in 2024 they were second and third. But the 36-year old must see him as a rival:
"I think for me I need to believe that I can win. Otherwise what's motivating me to go out training? Obviously I knew that I was going to be up against it with him. But unless you believe you can do it, what's the point in leading a team? What's the point in getting everyone out there and getting them all fired up to support you if you don't believe you can do it yourself?"
Matthews has always been a rider that has used his sprint as a weapon. Winning matters over everything else, and he maintains that mentality: "I love to win and I love to compete against the best. Whether I could or would have, at the same time I was willing to give it everything I have."
Pogacar's recovery from Vuelta crash
The Australian maintains a close connection with Pogacar, and has also discussed his recovery over the past few months. He believes Pogacar wanted to race the European Championships and was ready to do so.
"If you ask him, he was ready to go. If you ask the team doctor, they were saying no. It's difficult because us athletes, when you have a clear goal that you want to achieve, there's not many things that can stop you from giving it everything."
"The collarbone was pretty much healed, but I think there was something else with the crash that was sort of holding him back a little bit," he added.
The former World Champion is, at the time being, quite happy according to Matthews. "I think initially he was struggling with it all, but honestly he seems super happy now."
"He just loves racing his bike. I think obviously breaking different records and all this is not really his biggest interest. He just loves competing against the best guys and having fun."
"I think he's a great role model for all of us. Sometimes when things are hard, just put a smile on your face and do what you love to do and give it your best. I think I also learn stuff from this guy every day."
Read also
Tadej Pogacar to the Tour Down Under?
On a recent episode of the CyclingUpToDate Podcast, there was a debate on where Pogacar would begin his 2027 season. Finishing his season earlier and beginning his training for the upcoming year earlier, many expect a new challenge - and a beginning in January.
Matthews was asked about the Tour Down Under, the option that appears to be the most likely. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you see him there, that's for sure. It sounds like he's pretty excited about going in the future. When that is, I'm not exactly sure."
Will Matthews be present? "That's another question we're going to speak to the team about at the end of this month. For me personally, I'm not exactly sure yet. We'll see at the end of this month what the team wants to do and which way we go," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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