'It's my turn': Tour-bound Matthews ready to realise Olympic dream

But now Michael Matthews is set to make his Olympic Games debut - on a Paris course that should suit him to a tee.

The Canberra cyclist was named in Australia's men's Olympic road race team on Saturday morning - the same day he was set to start his eighth Tour de France.

While he was licking his lips about the route through the Paris streets on August 3, Matthews played down his chances for the Tour - where he didn't feel there would be too many opportunities for him over the next three weeks.

That was especially a shame for the man known as "Bling" because he comes into this year's Tour in good form.

With his Jayco AlUla teammate Dylan Groenewegen the main man for the flat sprints, that will leave Matthews sniffing out opportunities wherever they come up.

The 33-year-old goes into the world's most famous race off the back of his Olympics boost.

It's been a long-time coming for the Canberran, who has had to bide his time after missing out on both the Tokyo and Rio Games for differing reasons.

But he was named in Australia's three-man team for Paris, along with Simon Clarke and Lucas Plapp.

Both Matthews and Grace Brown, in the women's road race and individual time trial, will be Australia's two big medal hopes.

"I've missed two opportunities to be part of such an amazing event," Matthews said.

"Tokyo was around that time the Zika virus was up in the air.

"I was meant to go to the Olympics that year, but me and my wife were looking to have a baby and they were saying with the Zika virus the baby can be born with disabilities.

"We put our potential baby's health over the Olympics, which was a given.

"We were lucky to have a beautiful daughter so I wouldn't take back any of my decisions.

"Then Rio I felt like I should've gone [but wasn't picked], but in the end the course was very demanding and not really a course for me.

"Now hopefully it's my turn this year."

His immediate focus is on the Tour de France, however, and it could be a fast start for the fast man.

With the Jayco team working for Groenewegen on the pure sprint stages - the first of which is Monday's stage three - that leaves limited opportunities for Matthews.

That's a big of a blow for Bling, who goes into the Tour in good form - having finished second in stage two of the Tour de Suisse a few weeks ago, as well as another second in Milan-Sanremo in March.

"If you look at the Tour de France this year there's not too many amazing stages you say this is a stage for Michael Matthews," he said.

"It's a bit unfortunate, let's say, but I'll take my chances when they come.

"We have Dylan for the flat sprints, [Simon] Yates for the mountain stages and my stages will be more intermediate where I can."

That being said there still are a few stages Matthews has his eye on, where he could repeat his stunning breakaway victory in the 2022 Tour.

The opening two stages are tough, but if he has his climbing legs on then he could get himself to the finish as part of a reduced bunch - and with his speed, anything could happen.

Then there's stage eight next Saturday and the gravel stage the following day that could also suit.

"There's definitely a few intermediate breakaway stages along the way, but you have to make that breakaway to be in contention," Matthews said.

"Stage eight is a hillyish stage where we're not really sure if Dylan can get there and it's an uphill sprint in the final so that could be one I mix it up in.

"Also the dirt stage on stage nine also looks quite good - a real sort of Classics sort of day so it should be a fun one."

Given the Olympics are a big target, Matthews could be forgiven for dropping out of the Tour before the 21^st-and-final stage so he could freshen up for Paris.

But, when that last stage starts just up the road from your home in Monaco, then the Canberran wants to enjoy the chance to ride in front of his young family.

Even if the stage is an individual time trial - not one of Matthews' strengths.

"No, no, no, I'm going all the way. It finishes in Nice and starts in Monaco 50 metres from my house," he said.

"That's pretty special for me and my family. We've lived in Monaco now for 12 years so it feels a little bit like home now."

He's won and been on the podium of the biggest races in the world, now Michael Matthews will finally get his crack at the Olympic Games.

The Canberra cyclist was named in Australia's men's road race team to compete at the Paris Olympics on August 3.

That's once he gets through the Tour de France, which starts tonight, where he'll be looking for his fifth stage win at the world's most famous race.

Matthews has won stages and the green jersey at the Tour de France. Won stages at both the other grand tours - the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.

He's finished second and third in the men's road race at the world championships. Won the team time trial there as well.

But he's never raced at the Olympics before.

Now he's one of Australia's medal chances on a course around the streets of Paris that suits him - especially if it comes down to a reduced-bunch sprint, which is the man known as Bling's bread and butter.

The 33-year-old also has the ability to win as part of a breakaway - as he did with his emotional victory in stage 14 of the Tour de France in 2022.

Matthews was named as part of Australia's three-man team, along with Simon Clarke and Lucas Plapp.

Grace Brown was shaping as another big medal hope for the Aussies as part of the women's team - in both the road race and the individual time trial.

Brown was part of the three-woman team, along with Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Lauretta Hanson.

"It's truly an honour to represent Australia at the Olympics," Matthews said.

"It's been a dream of mine since I knew what the Olympics was.

"I have been close to making the team two times now and to have a course that suits me so well it's a dream come true."

Australian road cycling team: Grace Brown, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Lauretta Hanson, Michael Matthews, Simon Clarke, Lucas Plapp.

Australian track cycling team: Matthew Glaetzer, Matthew Richardson, Leigh Hoffman, Kristina Clonan, Kelland O'Brien, Samuel Welsford, Conor Leahy, Oliver Bleddyn, Georgia Baker, Alexandra Manly, Maeve Plouffe, Sophie Edwards, Chloe Moran.

Michael Matthews could get off to a fast start to the Tour de France, with previous winner Cadel Evans tipping the famous race would also prepare the Canberra cyclist for a tilt at Olympic glory.

Matthews is looking for his fifth stage win once the Tour kicks off on Saturday.

While stage three was the first likely sprint finish of the three-week grand tour, that's set to be the domain of his Jayco AlUla teammate Dylan Groenewegen.

Instead, the opening two stages of the Tour, which starts in Italy, were shaping as potential chances for Matthews instead.

They're both tough stages, with plenty of climbing, but if the 33-year-old's legs are good he could be the fastest man left in any reduced bunches at the end.

It's expected the Canberran will be named as one of Australia's Olympic medal hopes in the men's road race team, which will be announced Saturday morning.

Evans predicted the three weeks of the Tour would have Matthews ready to go for gold in Paris on August 3 - especially since his target wasn't winning the general classification.

Another advantage the man known as "Bling" could have at Paris was some of his Australian Jayco AlUla teammates could also be named in the Olympic team on Saturday.

That's not the case for most World Tour riders.

"Interesting to see [how he goes]. Stage three will be the first chance for the sprinters so Monday we'll have a better indication," Evans, who will commentate at the Olympics for Channel Nine, said.

"The first two days are pretty tough.

"He'll go in and aim for stages and normally the guys going into the Tour who don't have GC [hopes] they come out the best for the Olympics in the years gone by.

"Those that go in for the GC usually come out pretty exhausted."

Evans felt the prestige around finishing the Tour de France - the world's greatest race - would be enough to ensure Matthews finished the race - rather than pull out to freshen up for Paris.

Plus, while the final stage is an individual time trial - and doesn't suit Matthews' strengths - it starts in his adopted hometown of Monaco before finishing in Nice.

That offers a rare chance to race in front of his young family in the city where he now lives.

"I'm sure in the last week there'll be some interesting opportunities for the sprinters," Evans said.

"So to stay in for that and the interests of the team, and finishing the Tour has got it's own importance other than just getting ready for the next races."

Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar is hoping to do the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double, having easily won the Giro last month.

That feat hasn't been achieved since Marco Pantani did it in 1998.

Pogacar is also planning to ride at the Paris Games and the world championships in Zurich in September as well.

But Evans felt he could start to run out of legs towards the end of the Tour.

"He is Pogacar so he is different to everyone else, but in the third week of the Tour he might already start to pay for his efforts at the Giro d'Italia," he said.

"To come back again for the Olympics - and he wants to come back for the worlds as well - let's see.

"It's interesting times, but I would have been a bit more conservative with his efforts if I was him."