"If Matthew is still in the mix, he is the fastest on the team and our best chance of winning" - Van Aert settles Visma sprint leadership debate with Brennan praise
CyclingWednesday, 26 August 2026 at 13:50
Wout van Aert has unequivocally ended any speculation of a sprint leadership battle within Visma | Lease a Bike at the 2026 Vuelta a Espana. With the Belgian joined by Matthew Brennan and Christophe Laporte at the Spanish Grand Tour, the Dutch team are spoiled for choice with fast men.
Despite Brennan's decisive uphill finish sprint on stage 2 taking his first-ever Grand Tour stage win on Sunday, any sprint finish with a tough parcours beforehand is sure to catch the attention of Paris-Roubaix champion Van Aert.
With Wednesday's stage 5 featuring some short climbs before a flat sprint to the line, Van Aert came clean on Visma's hierarchy for the day - and possibly the rest of the Vuelta itself. But first, he expects a battle of teams trying to leave them in their wake and prevent their trio from making it to the final.
"It remains to be seen what our plan will be. In any case, we have to be ready, because everyone knows those climbs are coming," Van Aert told HLN before the start.
Teams out to drop Brennan and Visma
"There will probably also be teams that will try to drop us, so we have to be alert."
Van Aert offered a definitive breakdown of where Visma stand if it does come down to the line. Stating that Brennan is their trump card, he implied that both he and Laporte would work to lead-out the young British rider - noting his ability to survive tough climbs as a big reason.
He added: "In a stage like today, it's simple: if Matthew is still in the mix, he is the fastest on the team and our best chance of winning. It is a huge advantage for us that he could survive those kinds of climbs and is fast at the finish."
Brennan wins stage 2 after early Van Aert attack
On stage 2, it was Van Aert who struck first for stage glory as he attacked on the steepest section of the climb and was only followed by Tadej Pogacar.
With Van Aert's attack ultimately leading to a late re-grouping and almost forming a decoy move, Visma kept their eye on the ball as Laporte emerged with Brennan on his wheel to keep the pace high.
Brennan ultimately finished it off, leaving Pau Miquel, Tadej Pogacar and Mads Pedersen in his wake and taking a decisive victory, officially announcing himself as a Grand Tour stage winner on just his second-ever day racing one.
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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