How would you celebrate a maiden WorldTour victory? Tears? Hands in the air?
In just his sixth day riding a race in cycling’s highest division, Lotto-Soudal’s Matthew Holmes denied Richie Porte his annual win on Willunga Hill at the Tour Down Under, becoming Britain’s first World Tour victor of the decade.
So how did it feel, Matthew? “Not. much different to normal, really.” Seriously? “Yeah.”
His directeur sportif Herman Frison was ecstatic: “I said to him, ‘This is great, fantastic. You’ve just won a WorldTour race.’ He replied, ‘Yes, yes.’ Normally a rider goes over the finish line with his hands up, but he cycled 500 metres further and came back. He was so very cool.”
There are many ways to interpret Holmes’s response. Modesty and self-deprecation are just two. But to him, this achievement was merely showing what he always thought he was capable of doing.
The Lancastrian feels like he belongs in cycling’s premier tier; his elevation, at 26, is belated. His lack of celebration was his way of showing that he has no plans on just being a one-win wonder.
There’s also the fact he believes he has always been on the wrong side of fortune.
“I didn’t put my hands in the air because I didn’t want to take the risk,” he said. “I have been unlucky so many times and I didn’t want Simon Yates to come past me at 100mph.”
A former member of British Cycling’s Olympic Development Programme, Holmes was disappointed not to be selected for the national governing body’s senior academy aged 18.
この記事は CYCLING WEEKLY の March 12, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は CYCLING WEEKLY の March 12, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
CLASSIC BIKE COLNAGO SUPER
A trailblazing bike immortalised by Merckx and Saronni
"Strava activities are the only way I know some of my friends are still alive"
...or that Bernard is doing his weekly shop
AN EXPERT'S TAKE ON... SADDLE SELECTION
Crucial advice to guide your next purchase
JUST A NUMB#R?
Approaching a landmark birthday, Charlie Graham-Dixon explores how ageing affects cycling performance and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve
RURAL PERIL
More UK cyclists are killed on rural lanes than on busy city streets. Rob Kemp investigates why and what can be done to keep us safe while riding in the countryside
A BLESSED RIDE THROUGH THE FOREST OF BOWLAND
Forgoing cloak, cassock and cross, Trevor Ward goes in search of the holy roads that helped make a Tour winner
Dame Sarah Storey claims road and 19th gold double
More success for Team GB's Paralympians in Paris, but Storey slams women's time trial course
Roglič matches Vuelta win record
Slovenian takes fourth Tour of Spain title after hunting down O'Connor's lead, writes Adam Becket
Williams crowned Tour of Britain champion
Welshman leads home resurgence at the stage race to crown an Israel-Premier Tech clean sweep, reports Tom Davidson in Felixstowe
CLASSIC BIKE CLAUD BUTLER OLYMPIC ROAD
Iconic British brand's Holdsworth-era road bike