Bling Bling! Michael Matthews Wins Stage 3 Of The Giro

Aussie puncheur Michael Matthews has won Stage 3 of the 2023 Giro d’Italia in sensational style, the 32yo storming over the uphill finish in Melfi.

Poised for much of the 217km stage that appeared perfectly suited for Matthews, he was the first to go in the final sprint and went on to hold his pace over powerhouses Mads Pedersen and fellow Aussie Kaden Groves. It was Matthews 10th Grand Tour stage victory.

“Honestly, I’m just speechless, what I’ve been through these last two months, to come back with a victory for the team, it’s amazing,” said an ecstatic Matthews after the stage.

“We rode all day today and my teammates were fully committed for me to win the stage. I mean, I don’t have words at the moment, it’s been such a rollercoaster this year and to be already on stage three with a stage win it is all I can ever dream of,” he continued.

“I heard that Pedersen was dropped on the climb so I was hoping that he would be a little bit pinned for the sprint. I knew I just needed to go a little bit early and get the jump on them and yeah, it worked out.

“It’s been a rollercoaster for me, so I just came here to this Giro to have fun, enjoy riding my bike and enjoy being with my teammates and today it was such a team effort that win. That was for the boys.”

The final sprint for the line with Matthews focussed on his 10th Grand Tour victory. Image: Sirotti

David McPartland, the Jayco-Ulula Sport Director, said the win was a result of ‘super teamwork’.
“We took control from the start of the day on one of the longest stages of the Giro and along with Trek we controlled the day from start to finish,” he said.

“The boys pushed the pace on the final climb and that was the plan, we knew all the details of that final climb, we had identified it as an ideal finish for Michael and it was more just a case of if guys like Mads Pedersen, Magnus Cort and Kaden Groves would make it.

McPartland said the riders wanted to force it right from the bottom and use that final climb to set up the victory.

“The boys were super, all of them,” he said. “We timed and used all our resources perfectly today, it doesn’t happen always and we need to enjoy the victory and the way it was done today.”

Giro Stage 3 Top 5