In 2018, Matteo Jorgenson was racing in his country, in the United States, in the ranks of the Jelly Belly. In a country where in the recent era cycling is not one of the star sportsthe lanky runner sought to progress, grow in his career, and that happened by being in Europe. Such was the insistence, and obviously his good work, that the opportunity came. It was in France, in the Ag2r development team. He showed up in several races, such as the Tour del Porvernir, and Movistar took notice of him. In 2020, one of the most revolutionary seasons for the team in recent times due to the number of important arrivals and departures that occurred, Jorgenson joined the ranks of the Spanish team. His growth was sustained, coming to participate in the 2021 Giro, but in 2022 he left signs of the runner he is and, above all, that it can become.
In that year, he was also going to repeat his presence in the Giro, but some physical problems at the end of Paris-Nice prevented him from doing so. In this way, and after the change of plans, it made its debut in the Tour de France and was the Movistar that shone the most: with great performance in breakaways, it came fourth in two stages, finishing the general in 20th place and tanning. In 2023 he took another step, after a great preseason, he opened his campaign in the Tour of Oman. “He arrives with good feelings and the idea is that he is our man for the general classification,” said Carlos Verona, who came as the other trick in case Matteo did not get the best feelings. Finally, he got them, and in what way. On the third day, ending in Jabal Hatt, he achieved his first victory, the one that took “a huge weight” off him: “After fighting so hard for a win and not coming… made you doubt This is very important to me”, he said after that conquest. He lacked finishing the general, and by a second, but he did it.
“Has a redhead really won in Oman?”, he joked as soon as he crossed the finish line, leaning on his team car, along with two assistants who were trying to lower his body temperature due to the strong heat and after the great effort at the top of Green Mountain. He said it in perfect Spanishand it is a language that speaks in a great way. His beginnings in Europe were not easy, and after this triumph he remembers those moments: “It was a long process that changed my life. I am a totally different person. I speak French, Spanish, English…”, highlighted the runner, 1.90 meters, to AS. “It was great, the icing on the cake would have been to also win the last stage, but this is perfect,” they pointed out from Movistar.
“Aso, Aso, Aso, we are a great team”, celebrated Imanol Erviti, whom Jorgenson thanked for his effort and work. Sosa, Norsgaard, Verona, Kanter, Abner… they all went to embrace the star who took a great loot from Oman: stage, overall, points ranking and best young player. To continue perfecting her Spanish, she reads books and movies in that language. He lives in Nice and is a ski touring lover: “Wow, that’s something I love.” He was the first American to win the overall in Oman. “I’ll put a message to Van Garderen,” he added, sarcastically, about his compatriot, who was second twice in this event (2014 and 2015). “You start to see the previous winners of the race and it is something very crazy (Froome, Nibali, Cancellera…). I’m very happy”.
Its calendar is yet to be defined exactly, but it will surely be important in one of the great tours. “Be a runner for generals three weeks? We will see. We have to go little by little, because it’s February and I’m in very good shape. Yes, I will be in Paris-Nice, it is a race that I dream of and I have always seen since I was little ”, he concluded. Living in Nice, it is a great motivation. A runner of present and future… Although his contract ends this year with Movistar. Its continuity, at least for performance, does not seem like a problem. Time will tell.
