Matthew Brennan: Is this youngster set to make cycling history?

​Matthew Brennan already has five stage wins to his name in the Tour of Spain. At just 21 years of age, this exceptional talent from Team Visma | Lease a Bike is already one of the big winners of this tour. But on Stage 21, the Briton could take his impressive record to a whole new level.

Matthew Brennan: The chance of a magic number

For if Brennan were to triumph for a sixth time, he would achieve a milestone that seems almost unattainable in professional cycling today: six stage wins in a three-week national tour.

In an era of highly specialised teams, fierce competition and strictly controlled race proceedings, such winning streaks are a rarity. Even the biggest stars of the peloton rarely manage to win time and again over the course of three weeks.

​​Following in the footsteps of Tadej Pogačar

In recent years, the only rider to have achieved this feat was Tadej Pogačar, who dominated a Grand Tour with six stage wins. The fact that a 21-year-old is now on the verge of matching that feat underlines the Briton’s extraordinary talent. Matthew Brennan has not only demonstrated his finishing speed in this race, but has also shown remarkable consistency. Over the course of three weeks, he has repeatedly managed to seize the decisive moment and leave the competition behind. Now he has the chance to claim the sprint crown right at the very end of the race.

​A place in the history books?

For Team Visma | Lease a Bike, a sixth stage victory would be the crowning glory of what has already been a successful tour. For Matthew Brennan himself, this victory would, of course, be something very special. Incidentally, his team-mate Wout van Aert, who is also a strong sprinter, has won two further stages. This is more than a worthy consolation for the rather poor position in the general classification, where Sepp Kuss is currently only competing for a place in the top 10.

The final stage is therefore not just about securing another stage victory. It’s about the chance to take his place alongside the all-time greats of modern cycling. At just 21 years of age, Matthew Brennan could write a chapter that will be remembered for a long time to come.