Matthew’s journey into cycling began close to home, riding through the Yorkshire Dales with his dad. “He used to drag me out of the house,” he laughs, “but I just enjoyed being out in the countryside — in the middle of nowhere, no cars, just riding.” Before the bike truly took over, he ran as a kid but eventually realised he didn’t enjoy it in the same way. “Cycling was just more fun,” he says simply.
As a junior, Matthew grew into one of Britain’s most promising climbers — collecting strong results in stage races, spending long days at the front, and showing a natural feel for tough terrain. But for him, the pleasure was in the places the sport took him. “It’s so different to youth racing in the UK,” he explains. “Racing in the Alps, Spain… it’s so nice to be in those places. I enjoyed it all.”
One of his favourite memories came at the 2025 Junior World Championships in Rwanda, where Great Britain rode to a perfectly executed victory for teammate Harry Hudson. “The whole race went exactly to plan,” he says. “We’d never really raced together before, but the team atmosphere was incredible — everyone was working for each other. It couldn’t have gone much better.”
Matthew is motivated by steady progress: “I enjoy seeing my power improve over time,” he says. “Just little steps — better numbers, pushing myself on segments. That’s what keeps me going.” He’s comfortable training alone or with others, often mixing long rides with what he calls the “UK grime playlist” when it’s time to suffer.
Moving from juniors to U23 is a big step, but one he’s ready for. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he says. “Longer races should suit me — four or five hours, really hard days. I want to see how I go.” He’ll be living at the Keep Challenging Center in Sittard, surrounded by teammates and a high-performance environment. “It’ll be nice to train and live with everyone. A good place to develop.”
He also takes over his older brother, Oliver’s, room – who has promised that he’s left a surprise for him somewhere. Matthew also jokes that it’s nice and handy too because he doesn’t need to do any of the furnishings as everything has just been left behind for him.
His long-term ambitions are clear: “I’d love to move up to the WorldTour eventually. Also I’m a winner, so whether it’s winning myself or helping someone else, just being part of a winning team would be amazing.”
Reflecting on who he is the softly spoken Matthew describes himself as reserved, calm, and focused. He believes those traits help him stay grounded in training, think clearly in races, and maintain steady motivation through the season.
Quiet, thoughtful, and committed, Matthew arrives at Team Picnic PostNL with the mindset and engine of a climber ready to take the next step; and one that is excited to see where the Development program takes him.