“We won’t hesitate to play Brennan” – Visma ready to unleash Wout van Aert-Matthew Brennan double threat in Flemish classics

Team Visma | Lease a Bike do not have to choose between their present and their future in the Flemish spring. They can race with both at the same time.

Wout van Aert remains the figure everyone watches. Matthew Brennan is the rider nobody can afford to ignore. And according to the team, that is not an accident.

Speaking to Sporza, Visma head of development Robbert de Groot made it clear that Brennan will not be hidden away in a learning role in 2026: “We won’t hesitate to play Brennan in the classics when we see an opportunity to do so.” He added that the first aim would be to get deep into finales to support leaders like Van Aert, and then see if more is possible.

That is the shape of Visma’s spring. Not a hierarchy where one rider waits in line, but a structure where pressure can come from two directions at once.

Van Aert’s role does not need selling. He has already made it clear what he wants from the spring. “In the spring, I want to be there from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad all the way through to Roubaix,” he said in Visma’s own 2026 press release. “I want to show myself everywhere and seize every opportunity that comes my way.”

That alone is enough to dictate how races are ridden. Rivals mark Van Aert before the flag drops. Teams build plans around neutralising him. When he moves, the bunch reacts.

That attention is exactly what makes Brennan so dangerous.

Brennan is not being developed as a Van Aert copy. De Groot has already rejected that idea, saying that Brennan has different qualities and a different character. What matters is that those qualities overlap with the demands of the Flemish classics.

He can sprint. He can time-trial. He can handle short climbs. And he has already ridden Omloop and Paris-Roubaix as a teenager. “This year I’m focusing on the big classics, such as Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, and the Tour of Flanders,” Brennan said in his own Visma press release. “I hope to play a significant role in these races and gain experience in such big events.”

That “significant role” is where the two prongs appear.

If teams commit everything to watching Van Aert, Brennan gets space. If they allow Brennan freedom, Van Aert becomes harder to control. Visma do not need to declare a second leader. They just need to make rivals hesitate.

De Groot’s comments to Sporza underline that the team will not be shy about using Brennan when races open up, and that experience in the Flemish classics will be part of his growth.

That fits neatly with what Brennan himself says about his mindset. He has repeatedly talked about clarity, calmness and knowing exactly what he wants. He is not chasing status. He is chasing development inside winning situations.

For Van Aert, that is not a threat. It is leverage.

He has already spoken about enjoying seeing younger riders break through, and about wanting to be present from Omloop through to Roubaix. If he draws the fire, Brennan benefits. If Brennan is allowed to go, Van Aert benefits.

Visma’s strength in the classics has never been about a single rider. It has always been about options.

With Van Aert and Brennan, they now have two riders who can both survive the hard kilometres, influence finales and win if given the chance.

The difference is experience. Van Aert brings authority and expectation. Brennan brings unpredictability.

That is why De Groot’s message matters so much. His point is not about patience or protection. It is about tactics.

Visma do not need to choose between their star and their prodigy. They can use both to break the Flemish classics open.