Matthew Brennan moves up to the WorldTour
First-year U23 rider Matthew Brennan is set to make the move to the WorldTour next season. The 18-year-old Brit, currently riding for Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development, signed a contract until 2027. With Brennan on board, Team Visma | Lease a Bike will have eight riders from their own development team under contract in 2025.
"I'm obviously super happy about this," Brennan responds. "Signing a first pro contract is a big deal. It's something you dream of, of course, when you come in as an U23 rider with a team like Team Visma | Lease a Bike. But when that offer comes, and so quickly too, it's really cool. I'm looking forward to racing the races I used to watch on TV myself now."
Brennan (18) only joined Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development this winter and made an immediate impression. Not only by winning his first two races (Umag Trophy and Porec Trophy) and later landing on the podium in his first professional race (Circuit de Wallonie), but also by his approach to the sport. "Apart from his physical qualities - which we are extremely impressed by - we believe that Matthew is a perfect fit for us in all other aspects," said head of development Robbert de Groot. "For his age, he's quite mature. Matthew shows leadership qualities, communicates well, integrates well with the group, and is very eager to learn. He excels in all areas and because of that overall package, he's an incredibly interesting athlete. We saw that quickly, which is why we quickly sat down with him to extend his contract."
"We have a long-term plan for him and will gradually increase his program"
Sporting director Merijn Zeeman agrees: "Matthew demonstrates exceptional qualities both physically and in terms of personality. That's why we have confidence in a successful future together. We're very happy he's staying with us longer."
Brennan will make the transition to the WorldTour team in 2025, and his training and racing calendar will gradually be modified. "Like all riders on our Development Team, Matthew has access to all the facilities that the WorldTour riders have," says Zeeman. "We have a long-term plan for him and will gradually increase his program. He will still race with the Development Team next year as well."
"The next three years are crucial for my further development," Brennan acknowledges. "As it was this year, my development should be the priority. Results are less important. I don't want to put pressure on myself or rush things. Here, I can learn from the best riders and specialists in the world. That's super interesting to me, and I'm open to anyone on the team who can teach me something. I'm really looking forward to the continuation of that learning process."
