Visma turn to Brennan after Van Aert illness - 'I don't rule out he can follow if Mathieu goes'

Van Aert’s absence instantly changes the weight carried by Brennan, who admits the Belgian usually absorbs attention simply by being on the start list. “Wout takes a lot of attention away from me, which is nice. And it is great to race with him. He is always stable in what he does and his absence is a big loss,” he said to Sporza, while insisting the shift does not shake his self belief.

Visma still arrive with experience and depth, with Christophe Laporte set to be a key pillar next to him, and the young Briton is clear that his form is where it needs to be. “But we have an experienced and strong team. My confidence has not been affected. I know that I am in the best possible shape,” he said. 

Brennan also recognised what Van Aert can mean in certain tactical situations, especially when the race turns into a battle of raw power and positioning. “Yes, in some scenarios I could have used a big engine like Wout, but we will do our best to limit the impact of his withdrawal.”

The hype around Brennan has already started to build, with comparisons to Van Aert floating around. He accepts it with perspective rather than bravado. “That is a big compliment, but I also see a lot of differences,” he said. 

Brennan finished 2025 with 12 wins, including WorldTour stages at Volta a Catalunya, Tour de Romandie and the Tour of Poland, but he is careful not to let numbers define him. “I still have to develop myself and I still have to discover what kind of rider I am.” 

Asked if Van Aert has offered guidance, Brennan keeps it grounded. “Yes, but not with motivational speeches or anything like that,” he said. “He is someone who comes with meaningful input if you ask questions or analyse the race. Wout speaks freely and it is good that I can lean on him.”

Brennan is not arriving blind to what the Omloop demands. He raced it last year, and he believes that single experience matters. “Back then I did not really understand that race and I just took the experience in,” he said. “That is a big advantage now, because I know what the climbs involve and how the peloton behaves. I understand this race better and I have to use that.”

Head of Racing Grischa Niermann likes what he hears, even if the plan had to change quickly after the news about Van Aert. “We have one pawn less, but we are not without a chance. Not many riders want to go to the finish with Matthew,” Niermann told Sporza. 

Visma can live with a sprint scenario, but would prefer a harder race that sheds rivals. “We dare to count on a bunch sprint, but if we can choose, we go for a heavier race with an elite group at the end,” Niermann said.

The biggest question may come on the Muur. If Van der Poel goes there and the race splits, Brennan might have to respond to keep his chances alive. Niermann is curious to see how that unfolds. “Whether he can do that this year, I do not know. In the long term we hope so. I am not saying that Matthew is 100 percent certain to be in Mathieu van der Poel’s wheel when he goes. But I do not rule it out either.”