Michael Matthews leading BikeExchange in Flandres: "My shape seems to be good"

After what was a very strong month of March, Michael Matthews is set to be the team leader for Team BikeExchange - Jayco at the Tour des Flandres, and with the recent form he's had he'll go in as an outsider favourite for the race.

“It’s Tour of Flanders number three for me. The first time I did it in 2019 I was sixth, and it was quite a good result, but last year I had two crashes and not much luck.My shape seems to be good, and I come here with the win in Catalunya off the shoulders and that is what I went to Spain for," Matthews said in a pre-race interview. After having gotten Covid in February, and abandon Catalunya with illness, it's unsure if he'll be carrying the same form, but he's confident of it.

The Australian has struggled to get wins in the last few years, as the level in the peloton raised and he could no longer discuss sprints as he did in the previous decade. After having finished fourth in an attacked Milano-Sanremo, he went on to win the opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya before leading out Kaden Groves to the win on stage two.

"I believe that the cold weather on Sunday can definitely change the race. Some guys can work better in the cold and some others maybe not. For myself, I will tell you after the race! I don’t mind about the cold, it will be worse if it’s raining," he concluded.

Team BikeExchange - Jayco for Tour des Flandres: Michael Matthews, Luke Durbridge, Alex Edmonson, Kelland O'Brien, Dion Smith, Campbell Stewart and Sam Bewley.