Matthew Brennan completes hat-trick of victories as dream Vuelta debut continues
Britain’s Matthew Brennan completed a hat-trick of victories after he claimed a sprint finish on stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana in Lorca.
The largely flat 151.3km run from Cartagena had always looked set for the sprinters, with Brennan – on his debut grand tour – delivering a third stage win for UCI Team Visma-Lease a Bike with a late attack for the line ahead of Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Jodri Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
After a four-man breakaway, which included Britain’s Ethan Hayter, was eventually pulled back in, Belgian Wout Van Aert took on the challenge heading into the final kilometres, before team-mate Brennan made his signature finishing dash.
“We took the initiative today again,” Brennan said. “The boys pulled as hard as they could even after a tough day in the legs yesterday. We still went full gas. Coming into the final, we really held our own place and knew that we were all strong enough to kind of get to where we want to be.”
On winning three stages, he added: “It’s massive. I’m with a team full of massive champions. We’ve got guys who have podiumed in grand tours, and won them as well, and guys who’ve won classics and huge races. And the fact they go for me is an amazing opportunity. I’m really thankful that they go full gas for me.”
In the general classification standings, Movistar’s Enric Mas finished in the peloton to retain his red jersey with an overall lead of one minute and 18 seconds from Primoz Roglic.
Lidl-Trek had earlier confirmed sprinter Mads Pedersen’s withdrawal from the race ahead of stage 11 because of illness.
