“We were able to sacrifice each other” – Wout van Aert hails Matthew Brennan's role in perfect Visma plan after ending Vuelta victory wait
Cycling
Wout van Aert credited Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s willingness to sacrifice either of its leading contenders after finally taking his first victory of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana on Stage 13.
The Belgian defeated Valentin Paret-Peintre in a two-man sprint after attacking from the decisive nine-rider group with 3.5 kilometres remaining. Paret-Peintre was the only rider capable of following, while Matthew Brennan remained behind after spending the finale closing attacks for his teammate.
It completed a calculated performance from Visma on a stage that proved almost impossible to control from the peloton. Van Aert, Brennan and Bruno Armirail all entered the enormous 43-rider breakaway, giving the team options across the different groups as the escape repeatedly split.
“The plan was to go in the break,” Van Aert explained after the finish. “It was a very difficult stage to control and we knew that with Matthew, Bruno and myself, we could always play it – and it worked out perfectly.”
Brennan ahead, Van Aert waiting behind
Brennan initially reached a ten-man leading selection while Van Aert and Armirail remained in the much larger chasing group. Rather than immediately spending energy to close the gap, the pair could allow others to work while their teammate occupied the strongest position in front. “Me and Bruno spent a long part of the day in the wheels because we had Matty in the front group,” Van Aert said.
That arrangement began changing on the final classified climb. Van Aert accelerated from the second group and bridged across shortly before the summit of the Puerto de Granada, reuniting with Brennan for the run towards Loja.
Visma then used its numerical advantage aggressively. Brennan and Van Aert alternated attacks and responses, ensuring the team was represented whenever a rider attempted to escape. “We both had a chance and were also able to sacrifice each other,” Van Aert explained. “We kept on attacking and the final attack worked.”
Brennan played the supporting role once the race reached its decisive final kilometres. He closed moves from Leo Bisiaux and Simon Dalby, then helped contain another attack from Kevin Vermaerke while Van Aert briefly recovered in the group.
Having already won three stages during his Grand Tour debut, Brennan remained a dangerous sprint option if the group stayed together. That threat forced their rivals to respond to him while Van Aert prepared to attack again.
Van Aert targets the final kicker
Van Aert had identified the short rise before the finish during his pre-stage examination of the route. With much of the final approach gently descending, the kicker offered one of the last realistic opportunities to create separation before the sprint.
“When I saw the profile, I saw that there was a kicker coming into the village and so I had this in mind,” he revealed. “It was close enough to the finish to be worth it.”
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His acceleration immediately split the group. Paret-Peintre fought onto the wheel, but the remaining seven riders were unable to follow as the pair quickly opened a decisive gap.
The Frenchman contributed briefly before leaving Van Aert to perform most of the work beneath the flamme rouge. Although Paret-Peintre attempted to take the initiative by launching the sprint, he could not match the Belgian’s finishing speed. “With Valentin, I had a nice companion and he gave me a few turns,” Van Aert said. “It was nice to battle to the line together.”
Van Aert’s victory also strengthened his command of the green jersey. He ended Stage 13 with 224 points, extending his lead over Brennan to 65 and completing a day on which Visma’s two fastest riders turned mutual sacrifice into first and third.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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