"It’s like a second chance in cycling": Michael Matthews ready to take 2026 head-on with new motivation
Cycling
The 2025 season went anything but as Michael Matthews had planned. Although it's not quite reflected in his results, the Australian was forced to sit out nearly the entire summer due to pulmonary embolism and therefore he completed only 29 race days this year. But despite the adversity, the 35-year-old Matthews looks ahead to the new season with the same ambition as ever.
Although much of the season was wasted, Matthews cannot be completely disappointed in terms of palmares. Next to top-5 results at Milano-Sanremo and Amstel Gold Race, the Jayco AlUla rider triumphed at the Eschborn-Frankfurt, his last race before the health indisposition struck. On his return, he triumphed one more time - in a rainbow jersey race, the mixed relays at the World Championships in Kigali.
"It definitely wasn’t something I planned for," Matthews looked back at the season in an interview with IDLProCycling. "After winning in Eschborn-Frankfurt I thought the season was turning around and everything was heading in a good direction, but god had different plans for me and this years Tour de France. In the end, we managed to beat it and come back stronger."
With the little workload in summer, there was at least a room on Matthews' schedule to travel for the Japan Cup, ticking off one item from the bucket list in the process: "It has always been a dream of mine to go to Japan," Matthews says. "I love everything about it, so it was our dream to go there. My daughter was already googling and making a checklist of what she wanted to do, it was amazing to see how happy she was."
Motivated like never before
Overcoming such serious health issue, many would rethink whether to continue to pursue their cycling career at the age of 35. But Matthews put a pen on the paper to sign a new contract at Jayco AlUla through 2027 instead.
"Everyone said: was this the sign that it’s the end of my career? But as long as my health is fine, it’s like a second chance in cycling. When you’ve had something potentially taken away from you, something that’s your hobby, your dream, your life - I think I appreciate it even more, that I can do it everyday."
"You hear a lot of guys getting older and losing a little bit of motivation, but for me it’s the opposite. I’m even more motivated than I was any other year. I’m still the guy attacking my teammates and being stupid all the time, because I still love riding my bike."
Chasing the Sanremo victory
In 2024, Matthews finished second in a reduced group sprint at the Milano-Sanremo, his favourite Monument and the one where his odds to win seem to be highest. And although Tadej Pogacar continues to make the race increasingly challenging for men like Matthews, the ambition to one day add La Primavera to his palmares is not gone.
Michael Matthews won the sprint for 4th at the 2025 Milano-Sanremo
"I still haven’t ticked the boxes that I dream of every morning - obviously Milan-Sanremo. I’ve been close so many times. It’s not just a box to tick, but It’s a dream of mine to win. I’m not going to give up until my body does."
"If I’m going there riding for second or third - that’s not motivating. I see them as amazing athletes, but this is why we do sport, because we believe we can win. In the past, it’s always been these same guys, but they’re also human, they can make mistakes," he concludes.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- You despise him because he calls out the truth....OK clown !frieders303-11-2026
- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
- and another no-news article around the ‚2 tokyo jogging rounds‘ headline, this time spiced with some days old ‚news‘ that the LA and japan vacation trips come during or after the tdf route release. i am getting more and more annoyed by this time-stealing no-news crap. but who am i to complain? nobody forces me to come back for more ‚news‘ day after day …Ketterechts02-11-2026
- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
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- Eeesh!Lozza02-11-2026
- bravo! a rider likes jonas needs motivation and he needs to believe in being able to reach goals. he - like anybody else in the world - doesn't believe that he can win the tdf with pogi present. and what's it worth for when pogi is not there? second class victory only. he has checked all three grand tours, so what is left if not retire? the classics! go for it, jonas!Ketterechts02-11-2026
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