It's not just green Michael Matthews should be targeting, but yellow as well.
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Former Canberra cyclist Stephen Hodge says while Peter Sagan is the clear favourite to win his seventh sprinters' points classification at this year's Tour de France, Matthews is a definite contender for the green jersey - even if his preparation hasn't been geared towards it.
![Former Canberra cyclist Stephen Hodge says Michael Matthews is a chance of wearing green and yellow during the Tour de France. Picture: PA/Pete Goding Former Canberra cyclist Stephen Hodge says Michael Matthews is a chance of wearing green and yellow during the Tour de France. Picture: PA/Pete Goding](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc762yw5qgvis6j2wxhbs.jpg/r597_202_3142_1837_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Matthews had been training to support Team Sunweb teammate Tom Dumoulin's bid to win the Tour, but a knee injury ruled the Dutchman out.
It's opened the door for Matthews to target stage wins instead - and potentially green as well.
Hodge, who rode in six Tours between 1989 and 1995, also felt Matthews was a realistic chance of wearing the yellow jersey in the opening week.
The first stage, on Saturday, will likely finish in a bunch sprint, with the second a team time trial.
Matthews is a chance of winning stage three because the uphill climb to the finish line suits him.
His team won the world title in the team time trial in 2017 and finished second last year, which means he's a chance of being high up in the general classification going into that third stage.
Victory in Epernay, the home of champagne, could then put him on top of the overall podium.
"Sagan is still the grand favourite for the green jersey, no one disputes that," Hodge said.
"But Michael would be up there. Stage three for Michael is perfect. It's got an uphill sprint into Epernay, the champagne capital, so already stage three we'll get a really good indicator of how Michael's going.
"The other thing is, not only is the green a possibility, but in those first stages Michael could even get a yellow jersey.
In those first stages Michael could even get a yellow jersey.
- Stephen Hodge
"The reason is the first stage is a big bunch sprint, the second stage is the team time trial - everyone expects Geraint Thomas's team [Ineos] to be the fastest, but Sunweb is also a good team time trial team.
"If they don't lose too much time and they're right up close, a sprint win in stage three could conceivably result in Michael having the chance to get the yellow jersey as well.
"It's a bit of an ask, but you just never know."
Stage four is expected to be another bunch sprint finish, so Matthews could spend a couple of days in yellow.
Hodge felt there were plenty of opportunities for the 28-year-old to win stages.
While Matthews is more suited to an uphill sprint or a reduced-bunch sprint at the end of a hilly stage, he can also mix it with the top pure sprinters.
Hodge felt there were eight stages that could suit him during the three-week Tour and he backed him to win at least one of them.
He said Sagan, Dylan Groenewegen and Elia Viviani were the other top sprinters in the race.
![Hodge says Matthews is Australia's main hope at the Tour. Picture: EPA/Urs Flueeler Hodge says Matthews is Australia's main hope at the Tour. Picture: EPA/Urs Flueeler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc75t98x82j9h1i2nwuoe5.jpg/r0_100_3750_2217_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"He'd have to be odds-on to win a stage in the 2019 Tour. There's eight clear opportunities," Hodge said.
"The revelation over the last few years with Michael is how well he can go in the quite hard climbs where most of the other sprinters can't.
"He's now very mature and strong as a rider and that means a race like the Tour is going to be a happy hunting ground especially as his form looks pretty reasonable."
Of the eight Australians in the Tour, Hodge said Matthews was the shining light.
The absence of Dumoulin and Chris Froome (broken leg) has opened the door for Richie Porte to follow in Cadel Evans' footsteps and win the Tour.
But Hodge said Porte's bout of bronchitis would make it tough for the Tasmanian to finish in Paris on the podium.
Instead, he felt Porte would finish in the top 10.
Egan Bernal and defending champion Geraint Thomas are the favourites.
Porte has crashed out on stage nine of the past two Tours.
"Richie's a contender. He's in the second line of favourites, not the primary favourites," Hodge said.
"He's been sick this year. Top 10 possibly, [but] I'd be surprised if he can get into the top three."