Matthews Wins GP Québec for a Third Time!

Monday, September 16, 2024

Australian Michael Matthews of Team Jayco AlUla took victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, winning the uphill bunch sprint from a group of 35 riders.

Matthews won the hilly and fast-paced 201km race, one of two Canadian UCI WorldTour races, ahead of Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), who in July won three stages and the points classification at the Tour de France.

In the closing kilometers, pre-race favorites Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and defending champion Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) attacked at the base of the final 1km climb up Montée du Fort, but they were brought back by Bahrain Victorious, looking to set up Spaniard Pello Bilbao.

Matthews stayed in the wheels up the 4% average slope, but as the bunch swerved from the right side of the road to the left, Matthews stayed right and timed his sprint to perfection, putting his front wheel into the wind with 250 uphill meters remaining for what would prove to be an 18-second effort.

It was a third WorldTour victory for Team Jayco AlUla over the span of 16 days, following Eddie Dunbar’s pair of stage wins at the Vuelta a España. All three recent team victories were achieved aboard a Propel Advanced SL. And though the Québec circuit dishes up 2,976 meters of elevation gain, tackling four short climbs for a total of 16 laps, Matthews selected the CADEX 50 Ultra WheelSystem, CADEX Aero Integrated Handlebar, and Giant Pursuit helmet for their aerodynamic advantages in what he knew would be a reduced bunch sprint. He also rode with his CADEX Amp saddle.

"I knew it was a hard day, so I guess no one really had a real kick left in their sprint," said Matthews, who wore his Giant Surge Pro shoes to earn the win. "So when the bunch all moved to the left, I saw an opportunity to open up my sprint on the right. And I guess no one had probably expected someone to go from that early. I knew I didn't have the peak power today, but I have a really long sprint, and I knew I had the power to do a 15- to 20-second sprint."

The victory marked the third time Matthews has won the GP Québec, following wins in 2018 and 2019. It was the sixth consecutive edition of the GP Québec to see Matthews standing on the podium, dating back to 2017. The race was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It means much more than I can put into words,” Matthews said. “The season started really great with the classics. Since then, until now, nothing has really fallen into place for me. Coming back here, a race that I know really well, to win my third Québec against what I think is probably the strongest field here was one of the most special for sure.”

Matthews dedicated the win to his grandmother, who passed away in the days before the race in Canberra, Australia.

“My grandma passed away and two days ago, here in Québec, I watched her funeral live,” he said. “This gave me extra motivation and makes this victory so special. I wanted it so much. If I didn’t win, then what was the point in being so far away from my family during this difficult time?”

Source:

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/global/news/matthews-wins-gp-quebec-for-a-third-time/29163