Michael Matthews entered the press room on his race bike, parked his bike on the winner's stage, and answered questions from the press after winning the bronze medal at the UCI Road World Championships.

With the weight of his country on his shoulders and his team backing him 100%, expectations were high for Matthews in Wollongong. Twelve years after winning the U23 rainbow jersey in his hometown of Geelong, Matthews won a historic bronze medal at the World Championships.

"I think this is the best I can do," Matthews said.

On Friday, Matthews said of the race, "Everyone can bring their cards and turn the race upside down." His description proved apt. In a chaotic opening, the pack was scattered across the road, and TV commentators struggled to decipher the race situation by relying on the TV graphics. For racers without race radios, it was even more difficult to keep track of who was doing what and where in the peloton.

In the last two laps, the situation at the front of the race was clearly visible with Remco Evenpole rampaging to victory, while several groups were forming and dissolving at the back. As a result, what looked like it was going to be a sprint for the silver medal by a chasing group of five swelled to a 27-man battle.

In the sprint for the finish, France's Christophe Laporte narrowly edged out Matthews.

"We were talking in the peloton and I didn't know who was where, so I asked if they were racing for something.

"We kept catching up to the pack. Even in the last 500m. I knew there was no way I was going to make the top 10 in the sprint, but when I saw the French team lining up for Laporte, I jumped on the back of them and did my thing in the sprint."

"But even after that I didn't know exactly where I finished. A few minutes later I found out I was in third place."

"I was in third place," he said.

Matthews added that he sprinted to the finish line regardless of the result to repay his teammates' trust and dedication and the "super special" home crowd.

"We had a good race as a team today, it didn't matter if I was 5th, 10th, or 15th, I just wanted to finish in the best way I could.

For Matthews, this was his second medal of the Games and the third of his career at the World Championships after sharing bronze with his Australian teammate in the Mixed Relay TTT. His second bronze medal, after silver in 2015, came from Spain's Miguel Indurain and Juan Fernandez, along with Germany's Erik Zabel, who has not won a gold medal while winning three medals at the World Championships. Rather than regretting the missed opportunity, Matthews reflected on his career and the significance of this feat.

"In my home country, it's definitely the most special thing. I've been second before, but that second place was a long, long road, just like this one. I think the level of cycling is very high right now. I can't believe I'm getting a bronze medal here. [As Matthews continued to answer questions from the press, Evenepaul entered the room and took a seat at the table next to Matthews. Matthews, the newly crowned world champion, sat patiently in his rainbow jersey, gold medal slung over his shoulder, sipping water.

"Having won a medal in Australia, I actually wanted that medal," Matthews said, pointing across the table to Evenpoel.

The Australian goal was all down to Michael Matthews, and the team was collectively announced to the press on Friday, reiterating their unity. Each rider spoke of the importance of doing their job well.

For Simon Clark, competing in his 11th World Championship, the team did not make a single wrong step throughout the day, only to be beaten by better riders.

"Everyone did their job 100%," he said.

The medal was the icing on the cake, but Clark added that it was the team's performance that made him most happy at the "amazing" Home World Championships. It wasn't the result.

I've raced badly before and won medals, but today I feel it was the best team performance of the national team," said Clark, who was part of Cadel Evans' 2009 World Championship winning team.

Henrich Haussler also spoke to reporters as the awards ceremony was televised on a mixed-zone television screen.

"When I see Bring on the podium, of course I want that jersey at the World Championships in Australia. But it didn't happen. But it didn't." Today I was able to make my country proud and show the fans what we can do as a team."

Matthews' medal is Australia's first in the men's road race since Bergen in 2017 and the eighth in total since Robbie McEwen won silver in 2002. In the last 20 years, only Spain, with 11 medals, has won more medals than Australia's eight.

And while Clark and co. continue to dream of rainbows in Glasgow and beyond, the team's success is not measured by medals alone.

"I just hope we can keep it going," Clark says.

"Last year was very disappointing in terms of the success of the Aussies, and I hope we can keep it up.