Matthew Brennan has secured Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s first victory of the season. The 20-year-old Brit was the fastest in the final stage of the Tour Down Under, following excellent lead-out work from his teammates on the challenging finish in Stirling.
“I’m really happy with this win,” Brennan said after the race. “The past week didn’t always go as we hoped, and results were hard to come by. But as a team, we worked hard every day and gave 100 percent in every stage. To see that rewarded today is really special.”
In the final stage of the Australian stage race, four riders broke away early. The breakaway built a maximum lead of four minutes but ultimately played no significant role in the finale, thanks to controlling efforts from Team Visma | Lease a Bike and others.
On the last local circuit, the race opened up as several riders tried to launch attacks. Four riders managed to escape from the peloton, but strong teamwork from the Dutch squad reeled them back in during the final kilometer. Brennan then confidently finished off his teammates’ work with an impressive sprint victory.
Sports director Jesper Mørkøv also praised the squad’s effort. “Today the team was rewarded for the hard work they’ve put in all week. Things didn’t always go our way in the past week, but we kept working hard as a team. Today, the squad delivered fantastic work, and Matthew once again showed how strong he is on tough finishes. It’s a perfect way to close the week.”
Looking ahead to several major targets in the spring, this win is an important step for Brennan. “This victory gives me a lot of confidence for the races coming up in spring. It’s been a learning week, with its ups and downs. But today, we did everything we needed to do, and that gives me a lot of confidence,” the young Brit concluded.
