Matthew Brennan secured his second stage victory at the Vuelta a España in five days, sprinting to a clear win from an out-and-swung peloton after a textbook lead-out from his Visma-Lease a Bike teammates. The British rider outpaced Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who finished second after coming up short in the final meters of the stage.
Visma-Lease a Bike controlled the closing kilometers alongside UAE Team Emirates, neutralizing multiple late attacks. With roughly 25 kilometers remaining, the bunch had whittled down to about 60 riders. As the race hit the slopes of the Puerto de Paüls, top sprinter Mads Pedersen lost contact with the front group, clearing the path for Brennan and teammate Wout van Aert to contest the finale.
Navigating a sharp bend and a slight uphill gradient in the final kilometer, Brennan surged past his rivals. Meeus closed in toward his rear wheel but ultimately crossed the line on wide distance as runner-up.
Team Execution Secures Victory
Brennan credited his teammates for positioning him for the win, singling out Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert for their work in the closing phase. According to post-race interviews, the team had decided a month prior that this specific stage would target Brennan as their primary option.
Stage Profile and Late Elimination
The tactical battle intensified on the categorized climbs, where high pacing shelled several sprinters from contention. The elimination of Pedersen left the sprinting hierarchy wide open on the run-in to the finish.
Brennan’s triumph marks another milestone for the young rider in his Grand Tour campaign, capitalizing on the tactical discipline and horsepower of the Visma-Lease a Bike sprint train.
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