Michael Matthews sprints to win Tour of the Basque Country stage one

Hilly finale of Tour of the Basque Country stage one prompts attacks from GC contenders, but all are reeled in to set up a bunch sprint

Michael Matthews

(Image credit: Yuzuru Sunada)

Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) won the opening stage of the 2017 Tour of the Basque Country in Spain, and earned the early race lead after taking the bunch sprint.

Matthews topped an all-Australian one-two-three to take his first victory of the season, finishing ahead of compatriots Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott). Britain's Ben Swift (UAE Team Emirates) finished ninth.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.