Big hope Michael Matthews says he will have to battle through the pain barrier as he spearheads what's looking an ill-starred Australian challenge at the world championship men's road race.
After a week which featured Rob Stannard being suspended after an anti-doping rules violation and out-of-form star sprinter Caleb Ewan also withdrawing, the team's top hope Matthews, bronze medallist last year, revealed on Friday the extent of the shoulder injury that's hampering his bid for glory in Glasgow.
After a luckless year in which he contracted COVID and suffered a season-disrupting crash at the Tour of Flanders, Matthews felt he was ready once again for another serious assault on the world title on Sunday after three times previously having earned a podium finish.
But on his comeback race in northern Spain last week, the 32-year-old had a heavy crash, landing on his shoulder, and has been feeling the effects ever since.
"I'd had a really good prep in a training camp in the mountains and, unfortunately, my luck went bad again," Matthews said on Friday.
"I'm still in pain - every day, unfortunately. Last week, when it happened, I had to continue racing to prepare for the worlds and I was going through excruciating pain.
"It obviously puts a bit of a smile on my face knowing I can ride with a little bit less pain than I had last week, so hopefully I can get around there on Sunday as best I can.
"But having so many corners and quite rough roads on a technical course, It's not definitely not ideal for my situation."
He hasn't had an X-ray but believes he's suffering from a torn muscle, and it's the thought of representing his country again that's pushing on the Canberra ace whose record of five top-10 finishes in 10 world championships is outstanding.
"When you put on the green-and-gold jersey, it's just such a privilege and an honour, and the boys around me always have extra motivation knowing that I'm there to really fight 110 per cent for them and for our nation," said Matthews.
"It just gives you that feeling like extra, extra powers. I can't change what's happened, I can only look forward and keep positive thoughts and know that otherwise I'm in good shape. I won't lose the fight for sure."
But the eight-strong Australian team have lost one of their most potent threats following Friday's withdrawal of 29-year-old Ewan, one of the peloton's fastest finishers who's had a troubled season, which reached a low ebb when he abandoned the Tour de France only to be criticised by his own Lotto-Dstny team director.
"He felt like he couldn't be at his best at this world title. It's a very, very demanding course. And he's not a rider that would typically ride around in a working role. He was selected to go deep into the final of this race and he felt like he wouldn't be 100 per cent," said the Aussie team's directeur sportif, Mathew Hayman.
"He wanted to put the team's interests first. If we could find a rider able to replace him and do a better job to help with team performance, then he was happy to step aside," added former Paris-Roubaix winner Hayman, who said he felt Ewan was "going through a bit of a rough patch."
Stannard has been replaced by Alex Edmondson, while Matthew Dinham has been brought in as a substitute for Ewan.
