Wout van Aert races Omloop and Le Samyn, Matthew Brennan to ride the complete Flemish Opening Weekend
Visma | Lease a Bike has announced its line-ups for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and Le Samyn. Wout van Aert will race both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Le Samyn. For Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, the Dutch team relies on Christophe Laporte and Matthew Brennan.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will be Van Aert’s first race of 2026. The Belgian, who already won the Flemish season opener in 2022, prepared for the spring season with high-altitude training in the Sierra Nevada. On Saturday, he will be supported by riders including Laporte and Brennan, both of whom have already taken victories this year. The squad also includes Timo Kielich, Axel Zingle, Per Strand Hagenes, and Edoardo Affini.
On Sunday, at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Van Aert will not participate. Laporte and Brennan will, however, contest the entire Opening Weekend. Visma | Lease a Bike secured victories in KBK both in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, Tiesj Benoot took the win, while Van Aert celebrated in 2024.
Visma | Lease a Bike has not raced Le Samyn since 2017 but has added the event back to their calendar this year. Laporte will again start on Tuesday (March 3), with Van Aert rejoining the team. Brennan will skip the Walloon opener. The selection is bolstered primarily by young riders: Loe Van Belle, Matisse Van Kerckhove, Pietro Mattio, Aldo Taillieu, and Per Strand Hagenes.
