Michael Matthews gambles and surprises by climbing to first Tour de France stage win in five years

BikeExchange-Jayco rider attacks from break and triumphs on steep finish up to Mende

Michael Matthews on the Tour de France podium
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Michael Matthews knew that he had to try something different to win a stage at this year's Tour de France. On the punchy finishes where he used to excel, he has been beaten by two of the best bike riders in the world, in Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) at this year's race.

Essentially, the BikeExchange-Jayco rider needed to get somewhere where one of these two couldn't challenge him — up the road. This is exactly what he did on Saturday's stage 14, infiltrating the day's massive break, which mostly consisted of climbers, not men of Matthews' build. But he kept the faith, even attacked the men he was with with 50km to go. 

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