Jorgenson crowns Brennan as cycling's most exciting prospect - 'The definition of a wonderkid'
Matteo Jorgenson has hailed his 20-year-old teammate Matthew Brennan as cycling’s most exciting future prospect, after the British rider claimed 12 victories in his debut professional season with Visma | Lease a Bike.
Speaking on the Domestique Hotseat podcast., Jorgenson expressed amazement at Brennan's immediate impact after stepping up from Visma's development squad, with only Tadej Pogačar, Paul Magnier, Isaac del Toro, and Tim Merlier scoring more victories in the men’s peloton in 2025.
"He's so impressive. It's insane. He's the definition of a wonderkid," Jorgenson said, who was then asked who he thinks is the most exciting prospect in the peloton. "I honestly think it's Matthew Brennan. For me, his versatility is the part that makes him so impressive."
The American was particularly impressed by Brennan's versatility and tactical intelligence, knowing when to be in the right position at the right time. The American highlighted Brennan’s memorable victory on the opening stage at the Volta a Catalunya, when the Brit caught late attacker Tibor Del Grosso in a long-range uphill sprint to the line.
"The win in Catalunya that he had, I've actually never seen a win like that in my life. I remember sitting there watching the race, like mouth agape, live. It probably took me three days to get over how impressed I was by that win," he said.
"He has this insane kick that he'll win out of almost any [situation]. If he can just get over a few climbs and be sprinting out of a group of less than a hundred or less, it's like almost a guaranteed win a lot of times," Jorgenson said.
Jorgenson also highlighted how Brennan is able to find the right position, often even without the help of teammates, a crucial skill for the Classics.
"He often doesn't even need a lead-out. I remember watching Roubaix; he was positioning himself almost the whole race, and he was inside the Alpecin train with Van der Poel. I remember just being impressed with how much he can throw his weight around."
Jorgenson expressed his hope that Brennan will remain with the Dutch team long term, stating, "He's shockingly talented, and I just hope the team can retain him as a rider because I would love to be teammates with him for a long time."
Jorgenson was also questioned about the formation of the new American ProTour team, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, led by George Hincapie and his brother Richard.
With Novo Nordisk currently the only US team at the ProTeam level and EF Education-EasyPost the sole American WorldTour outfit following Lidl-Trek's switch to German registration, Jorgenson welcomed the development for American cycling.
"I am happy to see it. I think it's awesome that there is still interest in road racing in the US," he said. "I feel a sense of despair for the idea of road cycling in the US. The way that we have almost no professional racing, no more Tour of California or Utah or Colorado for me is a huge shame."
Jorgenson credited his own cycling inspiration to witnessing the Tour of California as a child and fears for the sport's future without such showcase events in America.
“I watched the Tour of California live in my grandpa's hometown,” said Jorgenson. “I walked around the team paddock and took pictures with some riders. And I still have that memory in my head, and I'm sure that inspired me as a really young kid.”
"Having teams like Modern Adventure cycling is exciting because I think at least it's like a pathway for the guys now that are junior U23 to make it professional," Jorgenson concluded.
Watch the full episode with Matteo Jorgenson in the Domestique Hotseat 👇
