“I knew it was extremely close but you never know” – Matthew Brennan prevails ahead of Jonathan Milan in photo finish drama on stage 1 of Deutschland Tour 2025

Matthew Brennan produced a scintillating performance to claim victory in a chaotic opening stage of the 2025 Deutschland Tour, narrowly edging out Jonathan Milan in a dramatic and confusing photo finish in Herford. The 20-year-old Brit, riding for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, celebrated his tenth win of the season after a rollercoaster finale that left even the riders uncertain of the result.

In the immediate aftermath of the sprint, it appeared that Milan had taken the win. Brennan himself admitted he wasn’t sure: “I knew it was extremely close. It was incredibly fast, and I pushed my bike forward. I thought I just managed to beat him, but you never know. I’m really happy with it.”

After a tense wait and careful inspection of the photo finish by the race jury, the decision was overturned — confirming Brennan as the stage winner over the recently crowned Tour de France green jersey winner.

The sprint itself was a masterclass in composure under pressure, especially for a young rider operating without a dedicated lead-out. “It was a very hectic finish, but the boys took a lot of the stress away by keeping me in the right position,” Brennan said. “We were going for the bonus sprints, and we got a bit separated there. But I had enough mental energy to navigate myself. I’m really glad I could still go for it — being so close to Milan is very special.”

The victory carries added significance given the calibre of his rival. Milan had recently claimed the Green Jersey at the Tour de France, making him one of the fastest sprinters in the world. Brennan, who often describes himself as more suited to selective stages than pure sprints, admitted the win was surreal. “I was sitting on the sofa watching the Tour almost every day,” he laughed. “I saw them all putting out monstrous power. Then to ride against them and measure myself against them is really exciting and gives me a lot of confidence for the coming days.”

Despite Thursday’s triumph, Brennan remains grounded and focused on the stages ahead. “We’re here to see what we can do. There’s no pressure — we aim as high as possible. Every day has a plan, and if we execute it, that’s perfect,” he said.