Visma's rising star changes plans to make a Paris-Roubaix debut: "There’s not much left for him to learn at lower level"
Cycling
He has more victories than any other Visma | Lease a Bike rider at this point of the season. Who is it we're talking about? The rising sprinter star Matthew Brennan. At just 19 years of age, he's already won GP Denain and two stages at Volta a Catalunya. Next plans? Monumental debut at Paris-Roubaix!
"I continue to amaze myself every week in this first professional season," Brennan told Cycling Weekly. "Not just in terms of results, but also in the races I'm doing. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was my first real Classic, and I have to say, it left me wanting more. I was in awe the whole time. GP Denain was my next pro race, and to be able to win there right away was incredibly special."
"I'm really looking forward to this Sunday. Paris-Roubaix is one of those races you dream about as a young rider. Being able to take part already feels like a very valuable investment in the future of my career."
Still, it is remarkable that Brennan is already selected for Roubaix. Less than two weeks ago, Grischa Niermann didn't seem too convinced about Brennan's possible Roubaix participation in an interview with WielerFlits: "In the future, Matthew could definitely do that. But for this year, that is still too early and too fast."
But considering his imminent success, it would have been a waste for Team Visma | Lease a Bike to keep their ace in the sleeve away from the biggest races for too long.
"Matthew has already amazed us several times," sports director Grischa Niermann explained the change of heart at Cycling Weekly. "The fact that he already has three pro victories under his belt is, of course, fantastic. Given his steep development curve, we've adjusted his calendar a bit. Originally, he was also supposed to ride some races with the development team, but we now feel there’s not much left for him to learn at that level."
Brennan’s role on Sunday will be to support his teammates, and continue gaining experience in his first year as a pro. "In a Monument like Paris-Roubaix, he still has to learn everything," Niermann said. "We're not placing any expectations on him in terms of result. We mainly hope he carries this race with him into the rest of his career," the German wraps up rather romantically.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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