'I deserve the jersey': Michael Matthews’ sprint crown a lesson in virtues of perseverance | Kieran Pender | Sport

'I deserve the jersey': Michael Matthews’ sprint crown a lesson in virtues of perseverance | Kieran Pender | Sport

After a decade-long drought, the Tour de France green jersey is back on the shoulders of an Australian cyclist. Following a relaxed ride around the streets of Paris on Sunday, Michael Matthews â€" resplendent in the maillot vert â€" placed 11^th in the iconic c finale. With his sprint classification win already secured, it was a respectable conclusion to an impressive three-week campaign.

To the uncharitable, he is the Steven Bradbury of Australian cycling. But Matthews’ success at the Tour de France was no fluke. While he benefited from the early disqualification of Peter Sagan and Marcel Kittel’s late withdrawal, Matthews is a deserving wearer of the green jersey. When Kittel retired midway through the Tour’s final week, his Australian rival was a mere nine points behind. And, as the winner himself says, “ultimately you have to get to Paris”.

Matthews’ victory provides a compelling lesson in the virtues of perseverance. On stage 10, when Kittel won his fourth sprint finish of the Tour and “Bling” finished a disappointing 13^th, it seemed the battle for green was over.

Matthews was inconsolable but he continued to battle for every point, finishing ahead of Kittel in the intermediate sprints on stages 11, 12 and 13. He then took line honours in Rodez, a stage he had targeted since the announcement of this year’s route, before winning again three days later. In barely a week, Matthews had reduced Kittel’s green jersey lead by over 100 points.

When another intermediate victory narrowed the gap to single digits, it momentarily seemed that the Tour’s 104^th edition was heading for an epic sprint battle in Paris. Then, suddenly, Matthews found himself in green. “I had mixed feelings when I heard over the team radio that Marcel had withdrawn,” he says. “At first I thought my sports director was joking.”

While Kittel’s injury-induced abandonment deprived spectators of an exciting denouement, it has not dampened Matthews’ elation. “I did everything possible to win this jersey,” says the 26-year-old, refuting a suggestion that his triumph might be undervalued. “I was fighting every single day from stage one. It is not who has the most points on a particular day â€" you have to be consistent through to Paris. In the end, I deserve the jersey.”

A key figure in Matthews’ French success has been another Australian, Team Sunweb’s sports director Luke Roberts. The Olympic gold medallist, who himself twice rode the Tour de France, has masterfully orchestrated a strategy to help Matthews compete â€" and ultimately overcome â€" faster sprinters. After directing Tom Dumoulin to the Giro d’Italia pink jersey in May, Roberts has now added the Tour de France green jersey, king of the mountain polka dot jersey and overall combativity award to Sunweb’s tally, the latter two earned by Matthews’ room-mate Warren Barguil.

“Warren and I had a chat with Luke on Friday night and it became quite emotional,” says Matthews. “Our wins have been mainly because of him â€" he was so relaxed and provided such detailed race strategies.”

Another mentor to Matthews during his short career has been Orica-Scott’s Matt White, who guided the former Under-23 world champion to a host of victories during his four years with the Australian-registered team. On Saturday, White made a bold claim to the Sydney Morning Herald about his former rider: “Long-term, and depending on how he chooses to develop, he could genuinely ride for general classification, and even here [at the Tour].”

Could a yellow jersey follow this year’s green? Matthews hesitates when considering whether he has the mental and physical acumen to contend for cycling’s ultimate prize. “Since I started riding people have told me I could be a good general classification cyclist,” he says. “But to climb with the best of them I would need to lose a lot of muscle, and I am not sure if I am willing to sacrifice my sprinting.

“To ride general classification, you also have to be focused all the time,” Matthews continues. “While at this Tour I have improved in that aspect, I am not sure if I have the capability to climb, time trial and sprint while staying focused every single day.”

Roberts offers a similar appraisal. “Michael’s physiology won’t allow him to target a yellow jersey in the Tour de France,” the sports director notes. “But in the shorter stage races he could definitely be a tough competitor to beat.”

Whatever the future holds, Matthews has assured himself a place in the annals of Australian cycling. By being anointed sprint classification winner in Paris, he joins heroes Robbie McEwen and Baden Cooke as the only Australians to secure the hallowed green jersey.

But a decade on from the golden era of Australian sprinting, Matthews is keen to write his own history. Asked how he felt about following in the footsteps of McEwen and Cooke, who provided guidance prior to the Tour, he signals his considerable ambition. “Nah, I think I’ll start my own [tradition].”

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