Aussie cycling star, 34, forced to put career on hold just a month before the Tour de France because of life-threatening health issue
Aussie cycling superstar Michael Matthews has been forced to drop out of this year's Tour de France and has put his career on hold after team doctors discovered he had 'signs of a pulmonary embolism'.
The discovery was made after the Jayco Alula cyclist, aged 34, was attending an altitude training camp.
On learning of the issue, Jayco Alula's medical team opted to 'pause all physical activity for the rider until further notice, as a precautionary measure.'
The Aussie sprinter, who hails from Canberra, was due to appear at the Tour de France, which begins on July 5, for the ninth time in his career.
During his esteemed career, Matthews has won four individual stages on the Tour, having also claimed the Points Classification in 2017.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Jayco Allula confirmed that his 'health condition is stable.'
'The Medical Team are now thoroughly investigating the extent of the issue and possible cause, to define a safe and optimal recovery process for the athlete,' a spokesperson wrote.
'During this period of investigation, as a safeguarding measure, Matthews will refrain from competition to ensure there is no risk to his health and well-being, therefore ruling out his participation in the upcoming Tour de France.'
Matthews had enjoyed a fine start to 2025, winning the Eschborn-Frankfurt UCI World Tour race, while placing fourth in the Milan-San Remo race and fifth in the Amstel Gold Race.
Matthews, meanwhile, thanked his friends, family and followers for showing him support on Sunday.
'Thank you everyone for the kind messages, I will get around to replying to you all, just taking a few days to process the news but my condition is OK and I will make a full recovery, it will just take some time. Thank you all,' he wrote on his Instagram.
A pulmonary embolism is a serious condition where a blood clot blocks a vessel in a person's lungs.
According to the NHS, a pulmonary embolism can in some cases be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Individuals can experience difficulty breathing, chest pain or even coughing up blood as a result of the condition.
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