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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jeremy Whittle

‘We are really different’: Matthew Brennan on ‘next Cavendish’ hype and his five-star Vuelta debut

Matthew Brennan celebrates as he crosses the line in Manosque to win stage two
Matthew Brennan crosses the line in Manosque to win stage two – his first victory at a Grand Tour. He has since won four more stages in this year’s Vuelta. Photograph: Philippe Magoni/AP

When Matthew Brennan sat down with his team before the race to study this year’s Vuelta a España route, the young Briton had limited expectations for his Grand Tour debut. Fast forward a few weeks and the 21-year-old from Darlington is the youngest rider ever to win five stages in a single Grand Tour.

He is also the youngest to win back-to-back stages. His fifth win was the seventh for his Visma‑Lease A Bike team in this Vuelta, the highest number they have ever achieved at this level, surpassing the tallies of six set at the 2022 Tour de France and this year’s Giro d’Italia.

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