On the eve of the Vuelta a Espana, Orica-GreenEDGE have extended the contract with one of their key riders for the sprint. Multiple Vuelta stage winner Michael Matthews will be riding for the Australian team until the end of the 2016 season.

Multiple grand tour stage winner Michael Matthews is the latest rider to re-sign with ORICA-GreenEDGE, committing to a further two years with the team.

The 23-year-old joins Simon Gerrans and Luke Durbridge who have also extended their contracts in recent weeks.

Matthews has proven he can deliver for the team in the world’s biggest races, boasting three individual grand tour stage wins since he joined the outfit last year.

“For me this is the perfect team and I wouldn’t think of going anywhere else,” Matthews said on the eve of this year’s Vuelta a Espana.

“Joining the team in 2012 was a huge experience and ever since then my progression in professional cycling has gone a lot higher.

“I feel really comfortable in the team and my results are speaking for that.

“I have still got a big year ahead of me now but I am looking forward to the next two years and hopefully trying to step it up again with more wins.”

Matthews pinpointed the team time trial performance at this year’s Giro d’Italia to put teammate Svein Tuft in the pink leaders jersey as the highlight of his time with ORICA-GreenEDGE.

“That was a real goal for us to win that race,” Matthews said.

“I have never really been a part of a team time trial victory so winning as a team, especially in a grand tour, was truly a highlight for me.”

Highlighting the current season, Matthews wore the maglia rosa for six stages (stage 3-8) at the Giro d’Italia in May.  Amongst that success was the victory in the team time trial on stage one and an individual stage win on stage six.  He has also recorded additional stage wins at the Tour of Slovenia and Tour of the Basque Country and a victory in the one-day race, Vuelta a La Rioja.

In his debut season with ORICA-GreenEDGE in 2013, Matthews delivered his first success in the grand tour spotlight winning two individual stages of the Vuelta a España.

Despite suffering injuries from a crash that forced him out of his debut Tour de France last month, Matthews has returned to racing in promising form for the remainder of the season and the years to come.

“Michael is a winner and an extraordinary talent on the bike,” sport director Matt White said.

“This year, he’s accomplished a lot and I think we’re yet to see the full scope of what he’s capable of.

“What we saw at the Giro is just another example of how he continues to take massive steps in his career on this team. He’s a very serious athlete and with the support we can give him, he will be able to make the most of his efforts.

“We’re very happy to be part of his future development and he is definitely one of the riders we look at when targeting results in major races.”

Michael Matthews
Age: 23
From: Canberra, Australia
Turned professional: 2010
ORICA-GreenEDGE major results:

2014
•  1st Giro d’Italia Stage 1 (TTT)
•  1st Giro d’Italia Stage 6
•  Held Giro d’Italia maglia rosa leaders jersey for six days
•  1st Tour of Slovenia Stage 1
•  1st Tour of Slovenia Points Classification
•  1st Vuelta a La Rioja
•  1st Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco Stage 3
•  1st Tour of the Basque Country Stage 3

2013
•  1st Vuelta a España Stage 5
•  1st Vuelta a España Stage 21
•  1st Tour of Utah Stage 6
•  1st Tour of Utah Stage 7
•  1st Tour of Utah Sprint Classification