Van Aert and Brennan spearhead Team Visma | Lease a Bike in Deutschland Tour
Team Visma | Lease a Bike will line up next week with a versatile roster for the Deutschland Tour. The five-day stage race across Germany, from 20 to 24 August, offers opportunities for both the team’s experienced riders and its young talents.
Wout van Aert is using the Deutschland Tour as part of his final racing block of the season. After an intense year in which he rode both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France - winning a stage in each - this will be his only remaining stage race of the year. Alongside him will be 20-year-old Matthew Brennan, who has already claimed eleven victories this season, making him the most successful rider in the team so far.
Sports director Robert Wagner is clear about the roles: “Matthew and Wout will have to deliver the results together. Matthew will get his chances in the sprints, with Wout providing support. Wout will lead out the sprints and share his experience with Matthew. It’s fantastic to see a rider like Wout working in that way with a young talent like Matthew. We’ll see how things unfold in the tougher stages.”
Varied route with chances for sprinters and attackers
The Deutschland Tour opens with a short prologue in Essen, followed by three hilly stages to Herford, Arnsberg and Kassel. The final stage to Magdeburg is flat and tailor-made for a bunch sprint. Wagner expects the third stage to be decisive for the general classification: “That looks like the real GC day. We hope to have several riders in the mix deep into the finale.”
Joining Van Aert and Brennan are Tijmen Graat, Steven Kruijswijk, Niklas Behrens and Matisse van Kerckhove — a mix of experience, climbing legs and youthful energy, giving the team options for multiple race scenarios.
With Van Aert and Brennan, Team Visma | Lease a Bike have two riders capable of contending for stage wins on multiple days. The team won’t shy away from attacking in the hillier stages, while Brennan will be protected for the sprint opportunities. Kruijswijk and Graat will handle the climbing, with Behrens and Van Kerckhove ready to animate breakaways or contribute to the lead-out.
Back to Magdeburg
The final stage holds special meaning for Wagner: “The last stage finishes in Magdeburg — my hometown. That’s really special for me. It’s great to coach this race in my home country. I’ll definitely have goosebumps riding the last local laps. It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a big cycling event in Magdeburg.”
The Deutschland Tour is thus the perfect opportunity for the team to showcase both its experienced leader and its young prospect. With a well-balanced squad and a varied route, the team is ready to fight for victory in every stage.
