British teenager Matthew Brennan’s whirlwind start to his pro career is about to go up another level: the 19-year-old will make his Paris-Roubaix debut on Sunday, less than three months after his first WorldTour race.
Brennan will ride for Visma-Lease a Bike in support of Wout van Aert at his first Monument. His call-up was originally unplanned, but comes as a late addition to his programme, following an impressive start to the season.
After earning his first pro win at last month’s Grand Prix de Denain, the Brit went on to score a brace of WorldTour victories at the Volta a Catalunya, where he wore the leader’s jersey for two days.
“I continue to amaze myself every week in this first professional season,” Brennan said. “Not just in terms of results, but also in the races I'm doing.
“Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was my first real Classic, and I have to say, it left me wanting more. I was in awe the whole time. GP Denain was my next pro race, and to be able to win there right away was incredibly special.
“I'm really looking forward to this Sunday. Paris-Roubaix is one of those races you dream about as a young rider. Being able to take part already feels like a very valuable investment in the future of my career.”
Born in Darlington in 2005, the teenager joined Visma-Lease a Bike’s development arm last season, having come through the UK-based Fensham Howes-MAS Design junior team. He won two junior world titles on the track in 2023, and is now signed to Visma’s WorldTour squad until the end of 2027.
“Matthew has already amazed us several times,” said the team’s sports director, Grischa Niermann. “The fact that he already has three pro victories under his belt is, of course, fantastic.
“Given his steep development curve, we've adjusted his calendar a bit. Originally, he was also supposed to ride some races with the development team, but we now feel there’s not much left for him to learn at that level.”
Brennan’s role on Sunday will be to support his teammates, and continue gaining experience in his first year as a pro.
“In a Monument like Paris-Roubaix, he still has everything to learn,” Niermann said. “We're not placing any expectations on him in terms of result. We mainly hope he carries this race with him into the rest of his career.”
