"I think Brennan is simply better at that" - Visma's Tour de France dilemma as analysts argue over if Vingegaard could miss race and Van Aert-Brennan dynamic
Cycling
Visma | Lease a Bike's 2027 Tour de France plans are already beginning to line up, providing the Dutch team with a selection headache as they balance Jonas Vingegaard's general classification hopes, Wout van Aert's Tour return and a rampant Matthew Brennan's potential debut on home roads.
With a United Kingdom Grand Depart looming, calls for Brennan to be included in their Tour squad only intensified as the 21-year-old scored five stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana and successfully partnered with Van Aert at the Grand Tour.
However, the dilemma comes around Vingegaard and the team composition. In a course that seemingly doesn't work in the Dane's favour, some have speculated whether the former winner can challenge Tadej Pogacar and the other general classification contenders.
In the Kop over Kop podcast, analysts Jan Hermsen and Jeroen Vanbelleghem discussed the dilemma lying ahead for the Dutch team as they try to balance goals between their leaders, beginning with Brennan and Van Aert.
"I find it tough with Van Aert, because they can both finish it off in the first week," Vanbelleghem said.
Matthew Brennan at the Vuelta a España 2026
"I think Brennan is simply better at that"
Hermsen added: "I think Brennan is simply better at that. In those kinds of stages." To which Vanbelleghem said: "It can work if you let Van Aert play around with Van der Poel, and then keep Brennan in reserve."
Matthew Brennan openly expressed his desire to ride the Tour during post-race interviews at the Vuelta, a move which to Hermsen signalled that it had been discussed internally.
Hermsen said: "I thought that was strange. You are allowed to say that, but I was completely taken aback. If he says that, then it has already been discussed. He gives spontaneous interviews, but they didn't follow up on this either. He could just as easily win four or five stages."
What will Vingegaard's focus be at Tour de France?
The question of Vingegaard soon came into frame, with Vanbelleghem suggesting that course encourages him to instead challenge for the Giro d'Italia or Vuelta a Espana.
"With a different course, I think they would have gone all out for Vingegaard again, with Van Aert in support and without Brennan, but with this course.
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"If you have to lay down a course he likes the least, this is it. You only have two stages with a lot of real elevation gain. Those are Vingegaard's stages. He is capable of a lot, but this is a course that works against Vingegaard."
However, it's been reported that Vingegaard is already targeting the Tour, potentially ruling out a new approach from Visma when it comes to team focus. But with Brennan waiting in the wings to make his Tour debut, the team potentially have a new card to play at La Grand Boucle.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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Rafionain-Glas26-10-2026 - There's quite a large range of time where van der Poel is less likely to race than not, possibly a month. The Worlds sit in that window. So it seems that its more likely than not that he'll not race.Rafionain-Glas26-10-2026
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