'I hope my comeback can inspire other people who go through a bad moment' - Michael Matthews tired but grateful after World Championship medal

Michael Matthews is still physically and mentally tired after the World Championships in Montreal but is driven by the emotions of his comeback from injury, his silver medal and the desire to inspire anyone who faces a similar battle.

Matthews finished eighth in Gran Piemonte and will ride Il Lombardia on Saturday before a possible long trip to ride the Japan Cup.

The Australian's 2026 season has been a story of pain, suffering and fighting back. He fractured both wrists in a training crash on March 5, when he collided head-on with a fire truck at close to 100 km/h. He only returned to racing in June, suffered through the Tour de France but set the World Championships as a personal goal. The Montreal course was demanding but Matthews fought for the silver medal, behind solo winner Brandon McNulty.

He was emotional and overjoyed with his performance, aware his comeback had been inspiring.  

"I had moments of doubt about if I would ever come back. You never know if you really can bounce back and what will happen but you have to keep believing," Mattews told Domestique at the start of Gran Piemonte.

"I've got that tattooed on my neck and that's for a reason. I looked at it every day and was inspired by my daughter and wife, who helped me so much. I didnt want to end my career like that.

"I hope my comeback can inspire other people who go through a bad moment, I hope it shows them that you can come back." 

Matthews is still on a high after his emotional day in Montreal. His body is tired but he has newfound belief and new mental limits.

"I'm on a massive high after the World Championships. I hope to keep that ball rolling but it's difficult to keep that peak going," he said with gratitude.

"The result and the performance I did in Montreal was incredible, especially on a personal level. I'm extremely proud of my second place and how I got it.

"I put a lot of time and energy into the World Championships.  It was one of my biggest goals after recovering from my accident. I hope I'm stronger than ever.

"It's a big weight off my shoulders but a lot of mental energy went into it. Now I'm trying to give back to the people who helped me come back and perform so well: my wife, my daughter and my close friends who kept me motivated and made me believe it was possible. I need to thank everyone for what they did."