Three-time Tour de France stage winner Michael Matthews came close to snatching his fourth stage victory today, as the 31-year-old Australian sprinted to a superb second place, on what was a long and relentless day of racing for day six of the Tour de France.
The 2017 Green Jersey winner fought over the hilly terrain in the closing kilometres to put himself in contention after selfless teamwork from his Team BikeExchange-Jayco teammates, with only defending champion Tadej Pogacar able hold off Matthews in the drag to the line.
After the carnage on the cobbles the previous day, there was no respite for the peloton on what was the longest stage of the tour, as one attack after the other was launched during the first 80km of racing. Team BikeExchange-Jayco were keen to put a man up the road, but eventually just three riders were allowed to escape.
The yellow jersey wearer Wout van Aert was amongst the breakaway, and despite the overall race leader’s best attempts to solo to the finish, the peloton finally swept him up with 11km remaining. New Zealander Jack Bauer and Slovenian Luka Mezgec then guided Matthews to the head of the bunch and into position on the final categorised climb of the day.
Attacks over the top, thinned out the already reduced peloton further, but Matthews remained amongst the top-five wheels as the pack caught a late attacker on the slopes of the climb to the finish line.
It was then a waiting game, with a number of general classification contenders in the mix alongside riders eager for a stage victory. Primoz Roglic was the first to make a move, but as he was caught Pogacar launched his sprint for the line, with Matthews reacting to the kick.
Despite a strong sprint, Pogacar’s initial jump was enough to hold off Matthews, who had to settle for an impressive second place at the end of a fierce day of racing.
Michael Matthews – 2nd Place
“I tried, I tried everything today and in the end it was second. The team did a great job positioning me into the final and all day long. It was hard out there and in the final, I just had to believe in myself and try to fight for that victory.
I knew the wheel to be on was Tadej’s and I think it was Pidcock fighting me for the wheels I thought we were maybe at the front a little too early so I let him in, and he couldn’t follow the wheel in the final and so Tadej got a gap and I had to try and run at him, but it was too late in the end.”
Matt White – Head Sport Director
“The only thing we could have done better was if Matthews was on the wheel of Pogacar into the last corner, which was the plan. Michael got a little bit squeezed going into the corner and with the acceleration of Pogacar it was just that little too much and he had to go past four of five non-sprinters and had a good run at him, but you can’t give the world’s best climber a headstart with 250metres to go.
The team rode sensationally today, as we have been doing every day giving our leaders every opportunity to win. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but the commitment and execution from the guys was very good today. We had some bad luck with Jack Bauer needing a bike change early on and he spent about 70km coming back, but was still there six kilometres to go to put the boys into position, so there is no doubting the commitment from the team.”
2022 Tour de France Stage 6 – Results:
- Tadej Pogacar 4:27:13
- Michael Matthews (Team BikExchange-Jayco) ST
- David Gaudu
Photo: Getty Sport
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