Bruyneel hails Visma | LaB and Brennan to the skies, but saw a subdued Alpecin–Premier Tech

For long stretches of Kuurne, Visma | Lease a Bike seemed to control the tone of the race. Riders like Timo Kielich, Christophe Laporte and Brennan himself rode aggressively, constantly trying to be part of the action rather than waiting for the finale to come to them. The 20-year-old Brit had crashed the day before in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and his start in Kuurne was far from certain. But once the flag dropped, Johan Bruyneel saw a Visma | Lease a Bike team operating at a remarkably high level.

“They were everywhere,” the Belgian said on his podcast THEMOVE. “They were all-in for Brennan. He was impressive, especially because he’d crashed the day before. But this is another step toward star status. He won plenty of races last year, but Kuurne is a truly big race.” Brennan’s win in Kuurne marked his second victory of the 2026 season, after a 2025 campaign in which he reportedly won 12 times.

The “Killer Bees” actually arrived at the start line in less-than-ideal shape, with both Brennan and Laporte carrying the effects of their crashes — and with Wout van Aert missing due to illness. Still, Bruyneel felt the circumstances only underlined Brennan’s performance and presence within the team.

“Normally you have Wout van Aert there as leader and you can ride in his shadow,” Bruyneel explained. “But the fact he has to carry the pressure and delivers immediately… he’s saying: I’m Matthew Brennan — I’m really here now.” According to the former US Postal team director, Brennan’s skillset makes him far more than “just” a sprinter. He has speed, but he can also handle cobbles and gets over short climbs well — traits that can matter just as much as pure watts in the Flemish spring. “He can win E3,” Bruyneel said. “He can win Gent–Wevelgem. Flanders and Roubaix are a different story, but you don’t want him in the break,” he added with a laugh.

While Visma | Lease a Bike stood out, Alpecin–Premier Tech were, in Bruyneel’s view, far less visible when the race really mattered. Jasper Philipsen looked strong over the hills, but lacked support when the finale began to bite. “I expected them to be more present around Philipsen,” Bruyneel said. “He paid for the efforts he made earlier, and then there was nobody left — apart from one. But honestly, I don’t think anyone could have beaten Brennan.”

One rider who did impress Bruyneel was Dylan van Baarle. “He really looked like his old self,” he said. “It was strange seeing him in Soudal Quick-Step colours, but he was in really good shape. He put in some great attacks — it gives him and the team a lot of hope to see him that strong.”