Michael Matthews moved a Tour de France fan to tears with a tribute to her late grandfather

Cycling is a sport of stories. And the Tour de France is where the best stories are born, from the drunken Abdelkader Zaaf to Laurent Fignon’s boil. Michael Matthews contributed to a wonderful story for a fan during the 2026 race. The Australian rider from Jayco AlUla posed for a photo with a fan, thereby honoring her late grandfather.

Matthews finished Tuesday’s time trial and posted the 71st-fastest time. The 35-year-old Australian would normally have returned to the team bus quickly, but this time he made time for his fans after his race against the clock. One of them burst into tears when he posed for a photo with her. It was a heartwarming moment, and the sprinter took plenty of time for the young woman, who was very emotional. We later learned there was a reason for that.

"I was her grandfather's favorite rider," Matthews told SBS after the time trial. "I won the stage that year when they came to Paris-Nice. They returned to the Tour de France in 2018, but unfortunately I got food poisoning that year, so I was out of the race pretty early. Her grandfather passed away five years ago. It was her dream to return and see me race.”

So that dream finally came true. “We saw each other for the first time two days ago. She was standing on the side of the road holding a sign that said, ‘Go Matthews.’ It was on the climb, so I was able to wave to her for a moment. Her mother sent me a message on Instagram and told me how happy she was that I’d seen her daughter along the road. Then she told me the touching story. It just goes to show what amazing fans we have in cycling.”

It was a wonderful gesture by Matthews, who took off his helmet to pose for a photo with the young woman. Her emotions were certainly understandable. Her name is Eleana Chiavassa, and she also shared her story about the emotional encounter with the four-time stage winner of the Tour de France.

"I was worried he wouldn't stop, but he did," she says into the microphone. "I have to thank him so much. I'm very happy, but also for my grandfather, who is no longer with us. It would have been one of his biggest dreams. I can't thank him enough for this gesture."