Matthew Brennan needed only two days of his first Grand Tour to secure the biggest victory of his career. The 21-year-old Briton won the second stage of the Vuelta a España after Visma-Lease a Bike executed a two-part plan designed to place Tadej Pogačar under pressure.
Wout van Aert attacked first, forcing the red jersey to respond. When the move was neutralised, Brennan remained protected behind and finished the job in the uphill sprint at Manosque.
“I just hope it’s not the last one,” Brennan said afterwards, according to IDL Pro Cycling’s account of his victory.
Visma attacked Pogačar from two directions
Visma began the stage hoping to move Van Aert into the overall lead. That ambition became more complicated when Ethan Hayter joined the breakaway and collected six bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint.
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The Dutch team did not abandon its plan. With two kilometres remaining, Van Aert launched a powerful attack on the difficult approach to Manosque. Pogačar was the only rider capable of following immediately.
The acceleration briefly separated the two stars from the reduced peloton, but the cooperation never became strong enough to maintain the gap. When the group returned, Visma still had Brennan waiting for the sprint.
Christophe Laporte guided the young Briton through the final moments before Brennan accelerated clear. He beat Spaniard Pau Miquel into second place, while Pogačar finished third.
According to L’Équipe’s tactical analysis, Van Aert and Brennan operated as a pincer. One forced Pogačar to expend energy, while the other remained hidden for the decisive sprint.
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Britain has another major cycling prospect
Brennan’s victory was his 20th as a professional and his sixth at WorldTour level. It was also his first stage win in one of cycling’s three Grand Tours.
His progress has been rapid. In 2025, Brennan recorded 14 victories and moved from 349th to 43rd in the world rankings. As Cycling Weekly described in its profile of the British rider, his original target for that campaign had simply been to win one race.
He is not built like a traditional lightweight climber, nor does he consider himself a pure sprinter. His greatest strength is the ability to survive demanding terrain and still produce a powerful finish. That combination made the uphill conclusion in Manosque particularly suitable.
Brennan also demonstrated unusual patience for a rider competing in his first Grand Tour. He did not react when Van Aert and Pogačar moved clear. He trusted the team’s second option and waited for the race to return to him.
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Pogačar keeps red but Visma gains ground
Pogačar retained the red jersey despite missing out on the stage victory. The updated standings published by Bike World News placed Van Aert second overall at nine seconds, with Brennan third at ten seconds.
The result does not mean Visma has found a way to defeat Pogačar across three weeks. It does show that the team possesses enough different weapons to make apparently straightforward stages difficult for him.
If Van Aert attacks, Pogačar must decide whether to follow. If he does, Brennan can wait behind. If he refuses, Van Aert could collect a stage victory or valuable bonus seconds.
Visma did not take the red jersey in Manosque, but it achieved something potentially more useful. The team made Pogačar react to its race rather than simply allowing the Slovenian to dictate everything himself.
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