In a sight that everyone is happy to see again, multiple Giro d’Italia stage winnerMichael Matthews has featured in the final kilometres of stage 13 at the Tour de France.

Uncharacteristically quiet as he recovered from a rib injury sustained in the first week of racing, the improvement in Matthews’ condition was enough to seeORICA-GreenEDGE commit Canadian Svein Tuft and British brothers Simon andAdam Yates to the chase in support of the 24-year-old.

As the race came into the final kilometre, the 2015 Paris-Nice green jersey winner was well positioned behind three breakaway survivors but despite battling bravely, lost touch up the steep incline to the line.

Greg van Avermat (BMC Racing) took the victory from the chase whilst Matthews rolled through for 18th position.

“I definitely got sick of being dropped each day,” Matthews said. “I thought today I would have a go at it.

“I was positioned well and the team did a really good job in helping to bring the breakaway back, I just didn’t quite have the legs in the final few hundred metres.

"Unfortunately in the final I knew that, in my head, I could go with Van Avermaet when he went but my body just didn’t let me go. I know that I can push myself like I’ve done on the Cauberg in Amstel. It’s a similar sort of finish to the one here but it’s a bit hard when you want to do it but your ribs and your lungs just don’t let you push as hard as you can.

"I’m recovering. From getting dropped every single day until now I’ve been with the best guys in the best race in the world at the Tour de France. It’s a massive improvement since my fall and I have to give a massive thanks to my team. For being able to put me in this position to win today. From the small things like bringing me water to the staff getting me back almost to 100 percent. The team have been behind me right through the race in trying to keep me going.

"I guess that I now need to sit down with team tonight and find out what my next goals are after today. Today was one of my big goals before the Tour started, and before I fractured my ribs. Now have to sit down with Matt White and the directors and see what the next goals are."

Sport director Matt White acknowledged the stage as a target for the Australian outfit and reiterated the team’s ambition.

“It was a perfect finish for a healthy Michael Matthews,” White said of today’s stage. “We still have goals for a stage win and that’s why we gave Michael the best opportunity we could today.

“If your luck is going to turn around, you are the ones that have to do it.

“We are not hear to capitalise off anyone else, we had a goal today and that was to support Michael as well as we could and we committed to that plan.”