The leadership in the strong Australian squad for World Championships road race wasn’t something set in stone, but a development of happening on the road, unsurprisingly, saw Simon Gerrans emerging as their best card to play on the undulating course around Ponferrada. Even though Michael Matthews was eventually forced to play a supporting role to his more decorated countryman, he was pleased to finish the event for the first time in his career.

 

In-form Matthews didn’t manage to finish World Championship road races in 2012 and 2013, this time around, however, crossed the line as 14th, spaying a supporting role to Gerrans, who finished as runner-up.

 

As the rider explained after the race has been concluded, Australians kept all their possibilities open until the very finale as Matthews was their option for a bunch sprint from relatively large group, while this year’s Liege champion was expected to join the late breaks – and that’s exactly how things eventually have developed.

 

"The idea was for Gerro [Simon Gerrans] to go with the attack over the final climb, with the guys like [Alejandro] Valverde, and for me to wait for the sprint," Matthews told reporters afterwards.

 

"For me I was hoping it could come back together and I could go for the sprint, but in the end one guy [Kwiatkowski] stayed away and Gerro got the best place possible."

 

"I think it was a really good ride from the whole team, we all did our job, what we planned to do. Then Gerro had to go for it, not quite for the win, but he got second."

 

 Finishing a demanding Sunday’s event inside the top fifteen was certainly a sign of a huge progress made by the 24-year old Australian within last season, where he significantly improved his climbing and eventually found his niche in the professional peloton.

 

"I didn't find it too bad, it was quite safe actually, all the riders didn't take too many risks, there weren't any bad crashes, I think everybody was quite respectful to each other and took it easy when there was dangerous conditions."

 

"The climbing didn't really faze me, the Tour of Poland and the Vuelta was good preparation for here and the climbs didn't even hurt me at all, the acceleration from the pure climbers hurt a little bit but other than that it was fine."

 

"It's my first elite World Championships that I've been in at the finish so it's really good for me to be in this caliber of race."