Brennan challenges Pogačar: "There is a battle to win"

The winner of the fifth stage of the Vuelta a España, Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike), admitted bluntly that beating the world's best rider, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), is practically impossible. But when it comes to stage wins, there's still room to challenge the Slovenian, and the young Englishman is proving it in style.

Brennan spoke just minutes after claiming his second Vuelta victory in just four days, a success that also came thanks to a textbook leadout from teammates Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert, rounded off by a simply irresistible final sprint.

Pogačar didn't even take part in the sprint on Tuesday, but Brennan emphasized that on certain types of terrain, "Pogačar's chances are much lower than usual, and that definitely works in our favor." A key detail for those who follow fantasy cycling: identifying the courses where UAE Team Emirates-XRG gives them more space could be the key to betting on Brennan in the upcoming stages.

The 21-year-old didn't say it explicitly, but Sunday's second stage was a prime example. On a hilly course without a real battle for the general classification—terrain where Pogačar has proven unmanageable in this Vuelta—Wout van Aert launched a late attack that the UAE leader responded to, but then refused to cooperate. This paved the way for Brennan, who was ready to take advantage when the peloton caught the two escapees, completing the job of neutralizing Van Aert with a sprint victory.

Brennan acknowledged that Pogačar is virtually unbeatable, responding with an expressive exclamation—"Tadej? Wow!"—to a question about what it's like to race in the era of the Slovenian phenomenon.

"It's not just him, it's also the team he has around him. They're incredibly strong, they're like diesels, they can push all day," he added. Some courses are simply perfect for the Slovenian star, he explained, but on the other hand, "when the course is built a certain way, you almost certainly know that Pogačar's chances are significantly reduced, and that works to our advantage.

"That's when riders like Wout come into play, strong enough to try to follow Tadej or even take advantage of him.

"But we're still tied at two-two," he said, referring to the stage victories achieved so far by Visma and UAE. "There's still a battle going on."

As for Brennan, the 21-year-old may not be able to beat Pogačar on the climbs, but he's already secured two victories for Visma in his first Grand Tour. This is a strong statement of intent for the coming seasons from the young Briton, who joins a long list of sprinters and fast rouleurs who have claimed their first Grand Tour stage win at the Vuelta. To name just a few from the last decade: Jasper Philipsen in 2020, Michael Matthews in 2013, Caleb Ewan in 2015, and Kaden Groves in 2022. A remarkable pedigree for those betting on Brennan in fantasy cycling, even for the coming seasons.

Beyond his own results, Brennan paid heartfelt tribute to his team for their second victory, highlighting in particular Van Aert—"he understands exactly what to do, it happens naturally, and that's exactly what you need to be successful in a race like this"—and Laporte, who played a decisive role in the final kilometers.

"It was crucial to stay on Christophe's wheel. I found myself sliding on the paint in the corner, so it was a scary moment, but we managed to get past him well. Then I was able to open up my sprint exactly how I wanted," he explained.

"Christophe is one of the best lead-outs in the world, or should I say the best overall? In any case, when you pair him with Wout, you get a remarkable winning combination."

Brennan also found personal inspiration on Wednesday, having scored one of his breakthrough WorldTour victories at the 2025 Volta a Catalunya in Amposta, just a few kilometres away.

"It was great. I also remembered the crosswind sections at Catalunya last year, those are great memories. I also thought to myself: I've already won in this area, maybe I can do it again."

"So I believed in myself, and I'm very happy to have achieved this victory."