Michael Matthews recognized that he did not have the "right legs at the right time" to claim his third career stage win in Sunday's Giro d'Italia, but he also said that his Sunweb teammate was short "deep into the final" and that it was impossible for him to keep up with late attacker and stage winner He also said it was impossible to catch up to Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates).

Matthews had been targeting the uphill finish stage in Agrigento since before the start of Saturday's Giro d'Italia. His seventh-place finish in the recent World Championships showed that his climbing form has been sharpened. But the Australian all-rounder recognized that he "didn't have the legs" to keep up with the Italian when Ulissi popped up with 1km to go.

Matthews, who has won two Giro d'Italia stages with the leader's jersey on his back, in Monte Cassino in 2014 and in Sestrie Levante in 2015, said he was "near the front" on the final climb Sunday but was shut out.

"When they attacked with just over a kilometer to go, I couldn't stay with them. They attacked with less than a kilometer to go and I couldn't keep up.

"When all the teams went super fast on the last climb and Ulissi attacked, we all knew that in a punchy finale stage like today, he would be one of the best in the world," Matthews said of the finish. 'If the race had been a little longer, I think it would have been even better.'

Matthews said Ineos Grenadiers tried to close the gap between Ulissi and the other two attackers, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Mikel Honoré (Deceuninck-Quickstep), but failed. However, he expressed the hope that another time he would be able to revive that kind of attack with his Sunweb teammates on his side.

Looking to the future, Matthews said, "We should try to come together more as a team on the final climb. Because on an explosive climb like the finish, it's hard to go with a guy like Ulissi.

"I was hoping for fewer group sprints and better opportunities.

In any case, Matthews said, "I will definitely try again. My form is good, my legs are good, and I'll fight every stage to win."