Nicola Rutzou
Earlier this week, BA caught up briefly (via technology) with Michael Matthews and Ben O’Connor at the Jayco AlUla training camp in Spain and put a few questions to each of them. Matthews is staying in Europe in our summer to target the Spring Classics races, including going one better at Milan-San Remo. O’Connor is also staying in Europe and starting his season in Spain, and focusing on the Tour de France.
Michael Matthews
Q: What races are you targeting this year?
Yeah, obviously another massive goal this year is Milan-San Remo. This year we’ll definitely put some fuel on the fire to go back and compete again. So that’d be the first big goal of the season, and back to Flanders again. I think the way me and the team rode last year, we can expect another good result this year. So we’ll go for that top step. So yeah, they’re the first two goals of the early season, then on to Amstel and Liège.
Q: And how will you be starting your season? Will you be going back down under or staying in Europe?
No, I’ll be staying in Europe. Two years ago now, I did down under and Nationals, and honestly, I was a little bit tired going into the classics, so I’ll do another full classics prep this year. Hopefully, it works out, and in 2026, I’d love to come back to Australia.
Q: Have you been training with your good mate, Tadej?
Yes, we’ve been training together. It’s always a good laugh, and when I’m training with Tadej, it’s always good fun. It doesn’t actually feel like training for us. We feel like we’re just hanging out and enjoying ourselves. So, I think that’s the best part of training with this guy.
Ben O’Connor
Q: What races are you doing in 2025?
I’m not going to start the season with an Aussie summer, but I’ll start in Europe in Valencia and then work my way towards the Tour de France. In the end the calendar, so much doesn’t matter because I just want to be the best version of myself the whole way throughout the year to be consistent, to be performing with the best guys, no matter what race it is, and it’s something I did in 2024 and now it’s the objective for 25.
Q: What benefits do you see for riding in the Aussie team?
I’m not going to call it convenience, but I think the ease of being within your own home culture. It creates better mateship and camaraderie where within both your teammates and with the staff is something that is really alluring to me. It’s something that I can’t wait to be a part of, and I know the equipment is all top-notch. I know the staff members are very good at what they do, and I know that directors know what they’re talking about, so it’s a package there. That’s ready to perform.
Q: Obviously you’re not going to be doing the Nats, but how will it be to see that race in your hometown?
Yeah, I know. It’s a bit ironic, I think. I think I’ll be heading that way in 2026. Nationals needed to change from Ballarat. It didn’t mean it had to be in Perth. It could have been in Brisbane or down near Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne or Tassie, who knows where, but I think I think it’s good for Aussie cycling for it to change around and maybe some people will complain it’s not on the East Coast and is a pain to get to, but that’s been our life.
As a young rider and as an experienced rider, I always had to make that journey over from WA, so maybe it’s a little bit fair that it’s there for a little while and it’s in the city that has grown up some of the best Aussie cyclists in the last couple of years you know. Looking at Jai and myself, he’s won the Giro, I’ve been on the podium of the Vuelta and he’s been in the yellow jersey in the tour. So it’s like suddenly the best Aussie GC guys in the last couple of years come from Perth and I think it’s kind of fitting that it’s there to show Aussie cycling how good it is over there.
