“Michael Matthews has everything to challenge Pogacar and Van der Poel” - Teammate reveals belief in their leader in Australian leader
Cycling
Inside Team Jayco AlUla, belief in Michael Matthews has long been matched by expectation. That is a fruit of the many years of work from the Australian and the new surge of motivation over the past few year, much of which stemming from his training with Tadej Pogacar.
Matthews has spent much of the past decade operating in the slipstream of the spring’s two dominant forces. Again and again, he has survived deep into the decisive phases of the biggest one-day races, only to watch Tadej Pogacar or Mathieu van der Poel turn presence into victory.
Milano-Sanremo has repeatedly underlined that gap. Matthews has been there when the race ignites, able to follow the best across the Poggio, but rarely positioned to dictate what happens next. The same pattern has emerged in races like E3 and the Tour of Flanders, where his engine is rarely in doubt, yet his influence fades before the race truly breaks.
Dries De Bondt addressed on the Pickx Sports Podcast discussed the detail that seems to come in the way of Matthews' results. “He has the qualities to really put pressure on Tadej and Mathieu in races like the Tour of Flanders or E3. But his biggest stumbling block is his positioning.”
When belief becomes pressure
For Jayco, this is not a question of a physical ceiling. Matthews has already shown he can survive the hardest terrain, sprint after long distances, and read finales well enough to remain relevant against riders who now dominate the classics landscape.
The issue is that surviving is no longer enough. Against Pogacar and Van der Poel, the race is often decided before the final kilometre, sometimes before the final climb. Being present without control becomes a weakness rather than a strength.
That is why Jayco moved to reinforce their classics leadership structure rather than overhaul their leader.
Why Jayco brought in De Bondt
De Bondt explained that the team’s struggles in races like E3 were not accidental. “The team has always struggled to be well-positioned on the Taaienberg,” he said. “After Jens Keukeleire, there was no Belgian left in the squad either. His presence brought a lot in the classics. That’s why they wanted an experienced Belgian who could guide the team towards the key moments in the spring.”
His role is designed to remove the margins that have repeatedly separated Matthews from the decisive moves. “I’ll be the road captain, but I’m also allowed to ride my own race in the spring,” De Bondt said. “Matthews doesn’t ride the entire spring programme either. He picks his races.”
Positioning as the final separator
Crucially, De Bondt framed the problem as tactical rather than physical. “Those Flemish races are the last discipline where watts per kilogram are the decisive factor,” he said. “In those races it’s also about the tactical decisions you make.”
He pointed to the benchmark set by rivals. “You have to read races. The Taaienberg in E3 is an enormous key moment, and everyone knows it, but many teams don’t analyse the best way to be at the front there. Visma were masters of that in recent years, while Alpecin are also extremely good at it.”
For Matthews, the message from inside Jayco is uncomfortable but clear. The team believes he can challenge Pogacar and Van der Poel. That belief is precisely why patience is thinning. Talent has never been the issue. Turning presence into control is now the expectation.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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