Pogacar set to kick off his 2027 season Down Under according to his Australian buddy Matthews

For Matthews, Pogacar is a special case. The two live near each other and are close friends. “Tadej is one of my best friends, and he’s clearly a superstar in our sport and always will be,” the Australian tells Domestique. “But at the same time, he’s also a competitor. He’s someone else I’d love to race against and raise my game to see how far I can go.”

They’ve faced off many times before, and it’s very rare for Matthews to get the better of the Slovenian. That won’t stop him, however, from continuing to work hard and dreaming of that one big victory. “I think I have to believe in myself that I can win. Otherwise, there’s no point in training.”

At 36, Matthews is one of Jayco AlUla’s most experienced riders, but his age won’t hold him back. “Of course, I know it would be a tough battle against him. But if you don’t believe in it yourself, what’s the point of leading a team? What’s the point of getting everyone out on the field and getting them excited to support you if you don’t believe in it yourself?”

Pogacar crashed during the Vuelta a España, fracturing a vertebra and his collarbone. This meant he was unable to defend his world title in Montreal, and he also missed out on the European Championships in his own country. Fortunately, he was back on his bike just over a month after his crash and was able to start preparing for the new season earlier than usual. So it looks like everything is on track for 2027.

And Matthews thinks it’s quite possible he’ll come to Australia. The Tour Down Under is the annual season opener, and Pogacar has never raced there. “To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw him there—that’s for sure,” says the Australian. “It sounds like he’s really excited about going there sometime in the future. I don’t know exactly when that will be yet.”

Back to Matthews. He’s setting his sights on Milan-Sanremo once again. “After everything that’s happened this year, I obviously want to give it another good shot. It shows what level I’m still capable of, and I’m really excited to see what’s possible next year. Of course, I’m not the youngest anymore. My chances are running out, but at the same time, I think the level I’ve reached this year is pretty impressive.”

Matthews has previously finished third once, fourth three times, and second once in La Primavera. In 2024, he came agonizingly close, but that victory is still on his mind. “I still believe I can compete for the win there. It’s clear that I’ll need a special day to win, but I believe that day will eventually come for me.”