"I'm just loving racing at the moment. My legs are super good" - Michael Matthews optimistic pre-race at La Fleche Wallonne

Michael Matthews carries the weight of Team Jayco AlUla's hopes at La Fleche Wallonne this year. After an impressive opening to the campaign, confidence is high for the Australian.

"I'm just loving racing at the moment. My legs are super good," admits Matthews, who's finished 2nd at Milano-Sanremo, sprinted to a podium at the Tour of Flanders before being relegated and secured top-10 placings at the Amstel Gold Race and Brabantse Pijl already this year, in a pre-race interview at La Fleche Wallonne.

"When you've got good shape you try and drag it out as much as you can but yeah, I think I'm towards the end now," Matthews continues. "The years when I didn't do the Flemish Classics I was a bit more fresh coming into Fleche Wallonne but hopefully I can do my thing today. The numbers seem really good in training so hopefully I can get through the race as fresh as possible. I'll just continue racing with a smile on my face and try to do my thing on the final climb."

Not renowned for his climbing abilities, the Mur du Huy is perhaps at the limit of Matthews' race-winning capabilities. "Before Amstel I actually did the best one-minute power of my life, but yeah, that was when I was fresh," he concludes. "To try and do that again will be difficult but we'll see."