Cyclist Michael Matthews re-signs with 'perfect team', Orica GreenEdge

Updated September 23 2014 - 10:18am, first published August 23 2014 - 7:14pm

Canberra rider Michael Matthews is looking to add to his grand tour stage victories when the Vuelta a Espana begins this weekend, but the 23-year-old has already secured his future with Australian team ORICA GreenEDGE by signing a new two-year deal.

Matthews is an important building block for the Australian team and his contract extension follows the re-signing of Simon Gerrans and Luke Durbridge.

A former under-23 world champion, Matthews announced himself to the professional peloton with two stage victories at last year's Vuelta a Espana, or Tour of Spain.

He then went on to win a stage in this year's Giro d'Italia, wearing the pink leader's jersey for six stages, but he was ruled out of his debut at the Tour de France because of a crash in the final week of preparation.

ORICA GreenEDGE director Matt White said Matthews was already "a winner and an extraordinary talent", but he said there was much more to come.

"This year he's accomplished a lot, and I think we're yet to see the full scope of what he's capable of," White said.

"What we saw at the Giro is just another example of how he continues to take massive steps in his career on this team ... he is definitely one of the riders we look at when targeting results in major races."

Despite three individual stage victories in the two grand tours he has raced, Matthews said the highlight of his career so far at GreenEDGE was a team time trial win at this year's Giro.

"I have never really been part of a team time-trial victory, so winning as a team, especially in a grand tour, was truly a highlight for me," Matthews said.

"For me, this is the perfect team, and I wouldn't think of going anywhere else. I feel really comfortable in the team and my results are speaking for that."

Meanwhile, Canberra's Rebecca Wiasak (Suzuki Brumby's) is closing in on overall victory in the Tour of the King Valley in Victoria after winning all three stages so far at the National Road Series event.

Having taken out the time trial and criterium on Friday, Wiasak showed her allround ability by taking line honours the 100km road race on Saturday. Wiasak leads by one minute, 38 seconds ahead of Sunday's 85km stage.

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