Brennan and Kool Shine: Victories in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Omloop van het Hageland

Matthew Brennan of Team Visma-Lease a Bike secured a decisive sprint win in the prestigious Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne race on Sunday, marking a significant boost for the Dutch super team. Simultaneously, Charlotte Kool (Team Fenix-Premier Tech) claimed victory in the Fenix-Ekoï Omloop van het Hageland.

Brennan’s Breakthrough in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

Brennan’s victory comes at a time when Visma-Lease a Bike has faced early-season challenges with key riders Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert. His win builds on a successful 2026 start, following his stage win at the Santos Tour Down Under. He finished two bike lengths ahead of Luca Mozzato, with Matteo Trentin of Tudor Pro Cycling taking third place.

“I have ridden this race twice as a junior,” the 20-year-old Brennan said. “We have always stood at the finish line and watched all the pros at the time come through and do their race. So to be in that situation now where I can finally say I can put my hands up in the air and I have actually won the pro race is fantastic.”

Brennan acknowledged a challenging moment during the race, stating, “I was caught out a little bit. All day I was just a little bit nervous after yesterday’s crash [in the Omloop Nieuwsblad]. I would say I hit the floor pretty hard. And unfortunately I was caught out, but I had a great guy Pietro Mattio who really burnt all his bullets to bring me back.”

The team’s strategy was key to Brennan’s success. “Then from there I was able to move forward and get in the move with all the guys. We just went full gas, we really wanted to develop it hard. We knew we were in the best situation possible there. We took the initiative and I am so happy that it paid off.”

This win marks Brennan’s first victory in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and he has ambitions for larger races. “Flanders, Roubaix, all these races. They are all super iconic. One day I would love to put my hands up in the air in one of them. It might seize a whereas, but we will deliver it our best shot.”

Brennan has already achieved 14 professional wins in his young career, including stage victories in the Volta a Catalunya, Tour de Romandie, Tour de Pologne, and the Tour Down Under, as well as the General Classification win at the Tour of Norway. He is recognized as a versatile rider capable of performing well on both sprints and challenging terrain.

Kool Captures Victory in Omloop van het Hageland

In the Fenix-Ekoï Omloop van het Hageland, Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) emerged victorious in a close sprint finish, outpacing Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) and Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal).

The race saw a dramatic moment when Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) crashed on a corner with 5km remaining, ending her chances for the win. A late breakaway attempt by Marta Lach (SD Worx-Protime), Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), and Flora Perkins (Fenix-Premier Tech) was ultimately reeled in by the bunch inside the final kilometer.

Kool, a two-time Tour de France Femmes stage winner, demonstrated her sprinting prowess to secure the win.