Michael Matthews misses the Milan-San Remo
Michael Matthews of Team Rabobank has ruled himself out of the fourth biggest race of the season, Milan-San Remo.
The cyclist crashed during the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico and is still not fit enough to ride the Italian race.
The event is schedule on March 17 and all the top cycling teams are lined up for the coming edition of the race.
The team reported that the former Under 23 world champion "sustained various cuts and abrasions, a serious laceration on his right arm and an injury to his shin".
Team Rabobank’s spokesman Luuc Eisenga has briefed that the cyclist has badly injured himself during the race and will be replaced by Tom Leezer at the coming race.
"No Milan-San Remo for Michael Matthews - he suffers too much from his crash in Tirreno. Tom Leezer will race instead," the team posted on its twitter page on Tuesday.
Michael started riding professionally with Team Jayco-Skins in 2010, and spent a period of one year with the team.
He accepted an offer from the Dutch side, Team Rabobank in 2011 and will continue his second consecutive season with the side.
The 21-year-old helped the team with a number of victories during the past season. He claimed the second stage of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic and stage 1 of the Vuelta a Murcia 2011.
He finished fourth overall at the Tour Down Under and also managed to bag the third stage of the Australian race.
Matthews occupied the first spot at the Rund um Koln and third at the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt.
He has already opened his 2012 winning account and has registered the overall victory at the Clasica de Almeria 2012.
The Australian finished at 9th overall position at the UCI inaugural cycling event, Santos Tour Down Under this year and would have played a vital role at the Milan-San Remo considering his superb form.
The seven cyclists to represent Team Rabobank at the Milan-San Remo are, Lars Boom, Matti Breschel, Bram Tankink, Maarten Wynants, Mark Renshaw, Paul Martens en Maarten Tjallingii, Tom Leezer.
The team will definitely miss the services of the Michael Matthews during the fourth biggest race of the 2012 season.
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