MONTREAL — It took a breathtaking finish at the 2018 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal for Australian Michael Matthews to follow in the footsteps of a fellow countryman.
Matthews overtook Italian Sonny Colbrelli in the dying stretches of the race to win the ninth annual race on Sunday. The Aussie became the second racer in Union Cycliste Internationale history to win both the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and Montreal after winning the Quebec edition Friday.
"I think I almost died across the finish line," Matthews said. "It was just enough. I maybe started a little too far back. But I was lucky enough to have just enough power to get back around."
Collbrelli settled for second while BMC Racing's Greg Van Avermaet finished third. The Belgian Van Avermaet finished second in Quebec on Friday, while Collbrelli improved on his 115th place finish in the provincial capital.
"It's a pity because my team has done incredible work," Collbrelli said. "I wish to win because the competition in Quebec was not a good day for me."
The first to accomplish the double was fellow Aussie Simon Garrens, who participated in his final Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday after announcing he'd retire at the end of the 2018 UCI season. The 15-year veteran won both races in 2014.
"It was something special for us back in Australia to see an Aussie to (win) both these races in a row," Matthews said. "It's been a massive goal for me to, hopefully, try and achieve that."
Prior to the start of the race, Garrens was given a celebratory jersey by Grand Prix executive vice-president Marcel Leblanc. The Australian finished 92nd.
"It's pretty sad that he won't be in the Peloton next year but I'm just super happy that he was here to see, and (for me) to achieve what he was able to do a couple years ago," Matthews added.
The top Canadian was Guillaume Boivin of the Israel Cycling Academy Team, who finished in 19th place. The 29-year old Montreal native was the top Canadian in Quebec as well, finishing 21st.
"The level of racing here, it's really one of, if not the best, I've ever had in my life," Boivin said. "I'm super happy,"
In the early stages of the race, a quartet of Canadian bikers found themselves ahead of the pack and nearly six minutes ahead of the peloton. Quebecer Hugo Houle of Astana Pro Team, Rally Cycling Team's Nigel Ellsay, Silber Pro Cycling's Charles-Etienne Chretien and Adam Roberge were the four bikers near the front. Great Britain's Owain Doull led the group for most of the race.
However, the leaders' advantage only lasted so long. The peloton eventually closed the gap on the top four with less than 30 kilometres to go. In the final stretch, Collbrelli sprinted his way into the lead while Matthews lagged behind.
Metres away from the finish line, however, Matthews made his move and accelerated forward past the Italian.
"At that point, I was almost happy with a podium," Matthews said. "I had a little bit more acceleration left,"
There are three more races left in this year's UCI World Tour campaign. There is also still a week left in the UCI's Vuelta a Espana in Spain. Following the Vuelta, the next stop will be in Turkey for the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey from Oct. 9-14.
Julian McKenzie, The Canadian Press
