Canberra's Michael Matthews targeting world title with mate Richie Porte

But this one was different - containing both of Australia's hopes of claiming gold at the UCI men's road race championships in Italy on Sunday.

Canberra's Michael Matthews joined fellow Monaco resident Richie Porte on Thursday for the trip to Imola where they'll be their country's two best chances of victory on the hilly course.

Matthews has his sights set on bettering his silver and bronze medals in 2015 and 2017 respectively and is in good form coming into the race.

He won the Bretagne Classic and finished third in Milan-San Remo last month.

Porte's not doing too bad himself - becoming just the second Australian to finish on the Tour de France podium last weekend.

The pair have become great mates and spent the coronavirus lockdown training hard together in their adopted city.

If Matthews can't win it, he'd love nothing more than to be there to help Porte do it instead.

"It's going to be a super selective race, but the Australian team decided to take me because I can get through these hard courses," Matthews told The Canberra Times.

"We also have Richie Porte there, who was third in the Tour de France, so we have two really good cards to play whether it's a more selective race from far out or just a hard final.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's an opportunity I didn't have before because the original worlds was in Switzerland and it was going to be way too difficult.

"Just go there and have some fun with my really good friend Richie ... hopefully we can have a nice memory from it."

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They've also had shared experiences since Matthews joined Porte in Monaco about seven years ago.

Both have had their share of bad luck and crashes when it comes to the Tour de France.

Matthews had his Tour debut ruined by a crash just days out from the 2014 edition, broke his ribs to ruin his eventual debut the following year and was also forced to withdraw in 2018 due to illness.

Similarly, Porte has seen his yellow jersey hopes disappear with crashes on stage nine in two consecutive years - '17 and '18.

"We've been through really a lot together - through highs and lows through a lot of years now," Matthews said.

"I've lived here in Monaco for seven or so years now and we've basically been close ever since then.

"I've seen Richie be so close so many times and having the crashes and the flat tyres at times at the Tour.

"Just seeing him continue to fight and keep getting back on his feet and continue trying to get back on that podium it was amazing to see this year.

"He showed himself that he can do it after a lot of years of being a little unlucky and people doubting him a little bit."

MEN'S ROAD RACE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sunday: Live on SBS Viceland from 10.30pm.