How 20-year-old Matthew Brennan won Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, and how the other contenders faltered

How 20-year-old Matthew Brennan won Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, and how the other contenders faltered

A day after crashing at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the British rider delivered a devastating sprint from a reduced bunch as pre-race favourites Milan, Girmay and Magnier were all eliminated before the finale.

By Peter Stuart · · 4 min read

Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) won the 78th Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne from a thinned bunch sprint, finishing three bike lengths clear of Luca Mozzato (Tudor Pro Cycling) on the Brugsesteenweg.

The 20-year-old Briton, who crashed at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 24 hours earlier, was delivered by a Visma operation and a final lead-out from Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) that left him with 100m of open road.

The "sprinters' classic" label lasted until the Mont Saint Laurent, where accelerations on the cobbles and gradients broke the peloton apart. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), pre-race favourite and the highest-ranked sprinter on the start list, was distanced. So was Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarché) and Dylan Groenewegen. Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep), with a team built to thin the field, punctured on the cobbles at the worst possible moment. His race was effectively over.

Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team), the form sprinter of the early season, was also shed. By the Kluisberg with 60km remaining, the front group was already a group of survivors.

Results

Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne • Mar 1 • 195km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Matthew James Brennan
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE4:26:05
🥈
Luca Mozzato
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:00
🥉
Matteo Trentin
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:00
4
Matevž Govekar
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+0:00
5
Mike Teunissen
XDS ASTANA TEAM+0:00
6
Laurenz Rex
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+0:00
7
Tobias Lund Andresen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+0:00
8
Cees Bol
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+0:00
9
Luke Lamperti
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+0:00
10
Jordi Meeus
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:00
11
Hugo Hofstetter
NSN CYCLING TEAM+0:00
12
Jon Barrenetxea Golzarri
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
13
Tim van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:00
14
Florian Dauphin
TOTALENERGIES+0:00
15
Ivan Garcia Cortina
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
16
Matyáš Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+0:00
17
Steffen de Schuyteneer
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+0:00
18
Jasper Philipsen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+0:00
19
Pau Miquel Delgado
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+0:00
20
Ben Oliver
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+0:00
21
Carlos Canal Blanco
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
22
Axel Huens
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+0:00
23
Vito Braet
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+0:00
24
Erik Nordsaeter Resell
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
25
Rui Filipe Alves Oliveira
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+0:00
26
Vincenzo Albanese
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+0:00
27
Matej Mohoric
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+0:00
28
Rayan Boulahoite
TOTALENERGIES+0:00
29
Hector Alvarez Martinez
LIDL-TREK FUTURE RACING+0:00
30
Christophe Laporte
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
31
Jules Hesters
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+0:00
32
Jonas Abrahamsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
33
Pavel Bittner
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:00
34
Frederik Frison
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:00
35
Hartthijs de Vries
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+0:00
36
Oliver Naesen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+0:00
37
Aime de Gendt
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:00
38
Storm Ingebrigtsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
39
Nils Politt
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+0:00
40
Axel Zingle
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
41
Jenno Berckmoes
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+0:05
42
Ferre Geeraerts
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+0:05
43
Brem Deman
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+0:05
44
Jonas Geens
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+0:05
45
Filippo Fiorelli
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:05
46
Timo Kielich
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:05
47
Bert van Lerberghe
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+0:05
48
Dries van Gestel
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+0:05
49
Lewis Askey
NSN CYCLING TEAM+0:11
50
Mick van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:17
51
Laurence Pithie
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:17
52
Alec Segaert
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+0:17
53
Mikkel Honoré
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+0:17
54
Florian Vermeersch
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+0:31
55
Stan Dewulf
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+0:36
56
Liam Slock
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+1:19
57
Daan Hoole
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+1:19
58
Niklas Larsen
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+1:19
59
Toms Skujins
LIDL-TREK+1:37
60
Dylan van Baarle
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:37
61
Ceriel Desal
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP DEVO TEAM+1:59
62
Daniel Cavia Sanz
BURGOS-BURPELLET-BH+3:21
63
Robert Donaldson
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+3:21
64
Johan Jacobs
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+3:21
65
Roger Adria Oliveras
MOVISTAR TEAM+3:21
66
Hugo Page
COFIDIS+3:21
67
Dries de Bondt
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+4:46
68
Frits Biesterbos
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+4:46
69
Jonas Rickaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+4:46
70
Matisse van Kerckhove
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE DEVELOPMENT+4:46
71
Davide Ballerini
XDS ASTANA TEAM+4:48
72
Riley Sheehan
NSN CYCLING TEAM+4:36
73
Julius Johansen
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+7:20
74
Gleb Syritsa
XDS ASTANA TEAM+7:26
75
Ezra Caudell
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+7:31
76
Edward Theuns
LIDL-TREK+7:34
77
Romet Pajur
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE ROOKIES+8:54
78
Titouan Fontaine
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+8:54
79
Clément Russo
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+8:54
80
Martijn Rasenberg
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+8:54
81
Riley Pickrell
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+8:54
82
Kasper Asgreen
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+8:54
83
Guillaume Boivin
NSN CYCLING TEAM+8:54
84
Artuur Torney
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+8:54
85
Mathias Norsgaard
LIDL-TREK+8:54
86
Cole Kessler
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+8:54
87
Josh Burnett
BURGOS-BURPELLET-BH+8:54
88
Paul Penhoet
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+8:54
89
Arne Marit
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+8:54
90
Colby Simmons
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+8:54
91
Noah Hobbs
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+8:54
92
Stanisław Aniołkowski
COFIDIS+8:54
93
Jonas Hem Hvideberg
UNO-X MOBILITY+8:54
94
Cesar Macias Estrada
BURGOS-BURPELLET-BH+8:54
95
Leander van Hautegem
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+8:54
96
Kamil Małecki
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:54
97
Filip Maciejuk
MOVISTAR TEAM+8:54
98
Tim Naberman
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+8:54
99
Alessandro Borgo
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+8:54
100
Nolan Huysmans
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+8:54
101
Nicolo' Parisini
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:54
102
Samuel Leroux
TOTALENERGIES+8:54
103
Jan Maas
COFIDIS+8:54
104
Timo Roosen
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+8:54
105
Felix Ørn-Kristoff
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+8:54
106
Pierre Thierry
TOTALENERGIES+8:54
107
Jonathan Milan
LIDL-TREK+8:54
108
Dylan Groenewegen
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+8:54
109
Tom Crabbe
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+8:54
110
Carl-Frederik Bévort
UNO-X MOBILITY+8:54
111
Henrik Pedersen
UNO-X MOBILITY+8:54
112
John Degenkolb
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+8:54
113
Piet Allegaert
COFIDIS+8:54
114
Maximilian Richard Walscheid
LIDL-TREK+8:54
115
Mark Stewart
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+8:54
116
Marijn van den Berg
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+8:54
117
Orluis Alberto Aular Sanabria
MOVISTAR TEAM+8:54
118
Aaron Murray Gate
XDS ASTANA TEAM+8:54
119
Biniam Girmay
NSN CYCLING TEAM+8:54
120
Max Kanter
XDS ASTANA TEAM+8:54
121
Kamil Gradek
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+8:54
122
Phil Bauhaus
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+8:54
123
Alessandro Romele
XDS ASTANA TEAM+8:54
124
Matis Louvel
NSN CYCLING TEAM+8:54
125
Alexis Renard
COFIDIS+8:54
126
Marco Haller
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:54
127
Niklas Märkl
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+8:54
128
Pascal Ackermann
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+8:54
129
Robin Froidevaux
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:54
130
Clement Alleno
BURGOS-BURPELLET-BH+8:54
131
Paul Magnier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+8:54
132
Yves Lampaert
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+8:54
133
Brent van Moer
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:54
134
Jarrad Eriks Drizners
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+8:54
135
Pietro Mattio
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+8:54
136
Juan Sebastian Molano Benavides
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+8:54
137
Jakob Söderqvist
LIDL-TREK+8:54
138
Rasmus Tiller
UNO-X MOBILITY+8:54

How Visma controlled the final hour

Crosswinds inside the final 35km carved another 25 riders from the lead group, but Visma still had numbers. Five riders at the front inside the last 10km gave them the luxury of shutting down an attack with 5km to go, then positioning Brennan behind Laporte for the final drag.

Defending champion Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) needed a bike change inside the final 15km after a mechanical, fought back through team cars, but arrived at the sprint with one teammate and empty legs. He finished outside the top ten.

Tudor Pro Cycling salvaged their Opening Weekend after losing Stefan Küng and Rick Pluimers to crashes at Omloop, with Mozzato and Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling) completing a double podium.

"I came down pretty hard yesterday, then I came to the start line quite nervous about what was going to happen today," Brennan said. "The lead-out was fantastic. I didn’t have to think about anything. I basically had the easiest job in the bunch, just launching my sprint with 150 metres to go. When you’re in a situation like that, and you’ve got someone like Christophe Laporte, who’s hugely successful in his own right, setting you up, the odds of getting a good result are definitely in your favour."

Visma have now won Kuurne in three of the last four editions, each time with a different rider. Laporte has been involved in the lead-out for all of them. For Brennan, it is the biggest career win so far, following a successful junior career. The win comes at the start of the cobbled classics campaign.

The contenders picture

  • Jasper Philipsen – Animated the race with repeated accelerations on the climbs, hurting Milan and others. A puncture and bike change cost him energy. Ran out of legs in the sprint, couldn't defend his title.
  • Luca Mozzato – Best of Tudor with second place, outsprinting teammate Trentin. Part of the team's redemption story after a disastrous Omloop.
  • Matteo Trentin – Third on the podium. Proud of Tudor's two-man result from a depleted squad that started with only five riders after Opening Weekend injuries.
  • Tobias Lund Andresen – Decathlon's designated man for Kuurne after his sixth in the Omloop. Had a near-perfect race but was boxed in during the sprint and finished fifth. Oliver Naesen had publicly backed him as a podium contender pre-race.
  • Laurenz Rex – Sixth, just a month after fracturing spinal processes in a crash in Saudi Arabia. A quietly impressive comeback performance.
  • Tim Wellens – Broke his collarbone at 85km, underwent surgery that evening. His spring classics – and possibly his programme through to Amstel Gold – is now at risk.
  • Biniam Girmay – Was distanced from the peloton on the Kluisberg and didn't feature in the finale.
  • Paul Magnier – More mechanical trouble, continuing a wretched weekend after his Eikenberg problem in the Omloop. Soudal Quick-Step's spring hasn't started well.
  • Dylan Groenewegen – Rose Rockets were targeting a strong result with him. His team boss described him as motivated "like a young dog." Didn't trouble the podium.

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Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist and then Rouleur having joined Cyclist in 2012 after freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.