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Visma-Lease a Bike snapped out of its sluggish start to 2026 this weekend with some morale-boosting results across Belgium and France this weekend.
Matthew Brennan stampeded to a breakout win at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne to open his classics account, and Matteo Jorgenson hit the podium in France.
And even more good news for the Killer Bees, Wout van Aert is confirmed to debut his 2026 road campaign on Tuesday at Le Samyn.
All this comes just a week before Jonas Vingegaard is also set to jump-start his 2026 road season at Paris-Nice on Sunday.
The Dutch super team might have missed a few gears out of the gate, but it appears to be hitting full throttle just in time for when it counts.
Van Aert debuts road season Tuesday
Van Aert’s season finally starts at Le Samyn after illness forced him out of Omloop this weekend.
The Belgian all-rounder returned from Sierra Nevada in strong condition following his January ankle fracture, but fell sick days before Opening Weekend.
Race organizers confirmed Monday he will take the start at Le Samyn on Tuesday.
With Mathieu van der Poel stepping away after winning Omloop to focus on training, all eyes will be on Van Aert.
With a showdown with Tadej Pogačar looming at Strade Bianche on Saturday, Van Aert will be out to make a statement.
So far this season, all the “bigs” — from Remco Evenepoel to Demi Vollering and Van der Poel — have won in their opening race with form-confirming desolation.
Brennan blasts off at KBK
Brennan delivered the biggest jolt of energy the team needed on Sunday by making mincemeat of the reduced bunch in a brutal edition of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
With many of the top favorites dropped in harsh and high-watt racing, the sophomore pro left Visma whooping in delight after delivering the perfect sprint coming off Christophe Laporte’s wheel.
“We wanted to make it a hard race as a team, and we executed that perfectly. The guys guided me to the front flawlessly,” Brennan said at the line. “Christophe dropped me off at exactly the right moment and made sure the hardest part was done. I still had to finish it off. It’s the first Flemish classic I’ve won, and hopefully not the last.”
After 12 pro wins in rookie season, Brennan delivered his second “W” in 2026, and perhaps the biggest of his career so far.
“It’s special to be able to say that I’ve won Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne,” Brennan beamed afterward. “As a junior, I stood here watching the pros race, so it still needs to sink in. Everyone went above and beyond today. We took the initiative as a team, so I’m incredibly happy that it paid off.”
Visma knows they have a diamond in the rough with the 20-year-old. Next up are Milan-San Remo before tackling In Flanders Fields, Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, and Paris-Roubaix.
Jorgenson confirms Ardennes pivot
In France, Jorgenson rode aggressively in back-to-back hill races, finishing fourth and second.
Though he gapped by French wonder boy Paul Seixas on Saturday, he took it to the line Sunday to hit second, this time behind another French promise in Romain Grégoire.
“Second place is obviously not what I came for, but today I was beaten by a better sprinter,” Jorgenson said at the line. “Tactically, we rode a strong race as a team. At one point, we had four riders in the lead group in the finale. That numerical advantage allowed me to accelerate at the right moment, but unfortunately, I just missed out on the win.”
The strong showing, however, will bolster Jorgenson’s confidence this spring as he pivots toward the hillier classics this year and away from the pavé.
Up next are a string of high-voltage dates at Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico (no Paris-Nice defense), Milan-San Remo, and then into the Ardennes with Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
“I’m happy with my form and the feeling in my first two races of the season,” the Idahoan said. “It’s great to be on the podium right away. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Italian races on my schedule.”
To win, he’ll be battling Sexias and Pogačar all spring.
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