Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) has become just the second rider ever to win both of Canada’s one-day UCI WorldTour Classics, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, in the same year.
The only other rider previously to achieve this rare double was fellow Australian Simon Gerrans back in 2014.
Matthews’ standout achievement began with a long-sought triumph in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec on Friday in an uphill bunch sprint on the Grand Allée. His win came after second place in 2015, fifth in 2016 and third last year in the same race. Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) took second in Québec for a fourth time in his career, whilst Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) rounded out the podium in third.
Matthews then captured victory in Canada for the second time in 72 hours when he powered to the head of the bunch in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal on Sunday. He crossed the line in first ahead of Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) in second and Van Avermaet (third).
Greg Van Avermaet (2442 points) has moved up into third overall in the UCI WorldTour classification after his double podium in Canada. The ranking is still led by Peter Sagan (BORA-hansgrohe) with 2752 points, followed by Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), with 2534 points.
Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) is in the lead of the Vuelta Ciclista a España overall classification following a tough three days of mountain battles across northern Spain. Already leading early in the second week, Yates moved back into control of the Vuelta’s overall standings thanks a punchy late attack on Saturday’s stage 14 Alto de Praeres summit finish. The Briton then buttressed his lead with a third place behind France’s Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) on the ascent to Lagos de Covadonga on Sunday’s stage 15.
As the Vuelta a España reaches its decisive final week, Yates leads Spain’s Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) by 26 seconds, with Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) in third, 33 seconds back.
Saturday August 25th - Sunday September 16th: Vuelta Ciclista a España
At 24 years of age, Italian Niccolò Bonifazi (Bahrain-Merida) has developed into one of Italy’s most promising young sprinters.
Bonifazio became Italy’s youngest UCI WorldTour pro when he signed for Lampre-Merida in 2014, aged just 20. Victories in the Tour of Japan and the Coppa Agostini followed in his rookie professional season, and he has also taken a UCI WorldTour victory, a stage of the Tour de Pologne, in 2016.
However, Bonifazio’s most impressive result to date has surely been his fifth place in the 2015 edition of Milano-Sanremo, a race he watched every year as a youngster.
Follow Niccolò Bonifazi on Instagram