Rookie sensation Michael Matthews kept the red-hot Rabobank team atop the ProTour wins list, sprinting to victory at Friday’s opening stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia in Spain. The Under-23 World Champion beat two Team Sky riders—Russell Downing and Davide Appollonio—on his Giant TCR Advanced SL, giving Rabobank its 11th win of the season.

Matthews, a 20-year-old neo-pro from Australia, has added depth to the Rabobank team, giving the Netherlands-based squad another weapon to win races in a variety of ways. His victory in the 178.7km Stage 1 race from San Pedro del Pinatar to Alhama de Murcia is the latest evidence that he can win at the sport’s highest level.

Matthews' Rabobank teammates helped chase down a six-man breakaway, then set the sprinter up for the final dash to the line. The three-day Tour of Murcia continues Saturday and concludes with a 12.4km individual time trial on Sunday.