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After finishing second an agonising five times this year, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Michael Matthews finally chalked up his first win this season in the second stage of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tour of Utah. In doing so, Matthews also mo🌳ved himself ꧅into the overall lead.

Initiative and foresight saw Matthews place third in the final intermediate sprint of the stage in order to gain what would prove to be a very crucial one second time bonus. With overnight leader 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Greg Van Avermaet (168澳洲5最新开奖结果:BMC Racing) coming in second in the stage behind Matthews, one second is now all that separ🐲ates the young Australian from the on form Belgian.

"I've had a few opportunities this year that I haven't quite pulled off the way I would have wanted," said Matthews. "It seemed like I'm always getting second. It's really nice to get my first win for the team, especial꧅ly when everyone worked so hard for me all day. To take the yellow jersey and the sprint jersey at the same time as my f🥃irst win this year is really special."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Orica GreenEdge directorౠ Matt Wilson was confident the day would be an easy one for the team w💝ith BMC being forced to defend

"We expected today to go one of three ways," said Wilson. "A breakaway could go and the peloton would let them stay away, the guys racing the general classification could ♋try to damage on the last climb, or, if BMC wanted to keep the jersey, they would ride the front and keep the race together for a sprint."

After Michael Hepburn unintentionally landed himsꦏelf in the break of the day, the rest of the team played the waiting game as BMC went to the front☂ to defend.

"It was not our job to take any responsibility for the day," said Wilson. "As it was, we got Hepburn in a little break. It wasn't a break we wanted, but he ended up out there anyway with 🌞one other rider. It ultimately worked out for us because we definitely didn't have any responsibility with a rider up the road."

But that res😼ponsibility soon shifted as the action heatཧed up towards the end of the stage.

"It was a really difficult run in. There weren't a lot of other sprint trains to take control, so it was pretty much all on us at that point. BMC was spent from chasing all day,&rd💖quo; said Wilson.

"Everyone was attacking," Wilson continued. "One of our guys would go to the front and take a massive pull to bring the race back together, and then another guy would attack hard, and we'd have to do it all over again. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Dave Zabriskie (168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Garmin-Sharp) made the last significant move. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Sam Bewley did a big turn to bring Zabriskie back insid♚e the last kilometre."

With the team able to control the finale, Matthews f🔯inally delivered on the promise he has shown🌜 all season.

"The team did a perfect job to set me up," said Matthews. "I didn't have to touch the wind or make anymore effort than absolutely ne✅cessary until it was time to sprint. I wouldn't have won the stage without all their work."

Aside from a mix of team work and a well-t💦imed sprint, Matthews believes his altitude preparation had a big hand in his victory today

"I felt a lot better today than yesterday," added Matthews. "I stayed at Brian Head for two weeks before the race started, so I adjusted to the time change and altitude before the race started. The team had a lot of confidence in me g𒅌oing♒ into this tour, and they played all their cards for me again."

With no ambitionᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚs to hold the race lead, Matthews signalled his intentions to return to the top of the podium when the race visits Salt Lake City on Friday

"I think tomorrow will be a 'rest day' for us," said Matthews, with a smile. "We'll probably back it off on stage three and then ramp things up again for the crit in Salt Lake City on Friday."