Team BikeExchange - Jayco waits until after Tour de France before deciding on Michael Matthews' future

Despite his four-year long stint at Team DSM, Michael Matthews has since 2013 been one of Team BikeExchange - Jayco's main figures for the past decade and he has brought much success to the Australian team. With that said, continuation from 2023 onwards will depend on both parties to agree on a renewal, which is being planned.

“There’s still a question mark there with Michael. It’s a tough one because both himself as well as ourselves would have loved him to have delivered more in the last two years. It just hasn’t been the case," Team manager Brent Copeland told Velonews. "He’s on a big contract and we’re still discussing it and we’ll make a decision after the Tour de France."

Matthews returned to the team in 2021, and has returned to his traditional role as team's sprinter, with leadership in hilly races and the cobbled classics aswell. A jack of all trades, but master of none some say, mostly as the new generation has seen riders of similar skillset develop that have filled the role Matthews for many years had in the peloton.

In 2021 he finished in the Top6 at Milano-Sanremo, Gent-Wevelgem and Amstel Gold Race showing just that, before finishing second on the opening Tour de France day. He rode the Tour-Vuelta double with a lot of consistency but without a win to his name. This year he's managed to win the opening day of the Vuelta a Catalunya, aswell as finish fourth at Milano-Sanremo, however has been unable to replicate the best results of his career.

“There is interest for him to stay as it’s always a pleasure working with Michael but we also have to look at the facts which is he has only delivered one win in the past two seasons, so we have to be realistic and fair from both parties and we definitely hope he can produce some good results in the second half of the season then we have to look at the conditions and see how we can work it," Copeland added.

Matthews is set to start the Tour de Suisse this weekend where he will be preparing for the Tour de France. With Dylan Groenewegen headlining the sprint train, Matthews' role will likely be one of a leadout, with freedom to target the hilly stages.