Visma | Lease a Bike gives update on fallen Matthew Brennan

Visma | Lease a Bike hoped to play a significant role in the finale of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with Matthew Brennan, but the Brit literally dropped out of the race leading up to the Muur van Geraardsbergen. The Dutch team has since provided its first update.

The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for men was marred by several serious crashes. They occurred in the kilometers before the Muur. In the thinned-out peloton, multiple riders went down at high speed. Matthew Brennan and Arnaud De Lie were the main victims: for the young Brit, this abruptly ended his race.

How is 20-year-old Brennan doing? "Our riders were positioned where they needed to be at the Molenberg, so it’s very unfortunate that Christophe (Laporte, ed.) got held up there. Matthew also crashed hard. He was able to get to the team car on his own power. That is the most important thing for now," says team director Maarten Wynants on the Visma | Lease a Bike website.

Laporte shows himself
While Brennan saw his chances dashed by a crash, Laporte managed to salvage a good result with a fourth place. "It was predicted to be a tough race beforehand, but I didn’t expect these conditions,” the Frenchman reflects. "The rain and wind made it extremely hard. Still, we as a team were always well positioned."

"The Molenberg was a crucial climb. I was perfectly placed and felt strong, but unfortunately got held up by a fallen rider. I felt like I could have fought for the podium today. In the chasing group, we worked well together and came close. Ultimately, fourth place was the best possible result under these circumstances."

"I’m happy that I could still bring the team a nice top finish today. After a disappointing season last year, it’s great to show myself again in these types of races. I missed the atmosphere along these Flemish roads. I’m looking forward to the next races on my schedule, starting with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday."