Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2026: 20-Year-Old Brennan Takes Stunning Victory
If Omloop Het Nieuwsblad belonged to Van der Poel, then Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on March 1st belonged to the next generation. Twenty-year-old Matthew Brennan of Team Visma | Lease a Bike sprinted to victory in Kuurne, claiming the biggest win of his young career in front of an emotional hometown-style crowd.
The race was shaped by the same brutal attrition that defined the day before. Tim Wellens crashed and abandoned early. Arnaud De Lie, Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen were all distanced as the pace lifted on the climbs. Paul Magnier punctured at the worst possible moment. By the time the final sprint unfolded, the peloton had been whittled down to a hardened group of survivors.
Brennan was perfectly set up by teammate Christophe Laporte, who delivered a textbook lead-out. From there, the young Brit did the rest — powering to a convincing win ahead of Luca Mozzato and veteran Matteo Trentin.
Final podium:
- Matthew Brennan (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)
- Luca Mozzato (Tudor Pro Cycling)
- Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling)
“I used to stand at the finish and watch the pros,” Brennan said afterwards. “Now I’ve won it — it still needs to sink in.”
It was also a welcome boost for Visma after a difficult start to the season — and a sign that the team is building momentum ahead of the bigger Classics to come.