The Vuelta a España has restarted after the rest day and the music hasn't changed. In fact, for Visma | Lease a Bike it has become even sweeter. Matthew Brennan signed the first victory of the third week, managing to claim his fourth personal success in this Vuelta and handing the Dutch team their sixth stage victory.

An impressive number, especially considering that the Spanish race has now entered its decisive phase. Visma had closed the second week with Wout van Aert's success and opened the third by immediately imposing themselves again with their very young British rider.

For Brennan, however, the feeling hasn't changed. Despite four victories already in the trophy cabinet, the emotion is still that of the first day. «The emotion is still the same as when I started the Vuelta. It's incredible. Four wins here... the initial objective was just one».

An objective that already seemed ambitious on the eve and now appears almost incredibly small compared to what Brennan and Visma are achieving. The British rider, in fact, is not the only protagonist of this extraordinary run: the team has built a practically perfect Vuelta, carefully choosing which stages to attack and transforming opportunities into victories.

«As a team we've reached six, I believe. I've lost count, we've won so many and for the stages we targeted, we stuck strictly to the plan we set out».

Behind every Brennan success, however, there is enormous teamwork. Today too Visma controlled the race, facing a complicated day and especially a particularly chaotic finale. Brennan wanted to emphasize precisely this aspect, remembering the sacrifice of his teammates.

«You saw the guys today: if you followed the race from home, you saw them pulling hard against the wind. And closing it out that way. Then Wout brought me to the finish line in practically a perfect position, in such a chaotic finale and it was truly fantastic».

Once again, therefore, Wout van Aert transformed himself into the decisive man for his young teammate. The Belgian, who has already claimed two stages in this Vuelta and wears the green jersey of the points classification, played the role of last man with the precision of a rider accustomed to winning at the highest levels.

«The best last man you could ask for. Yes, I really don't think there's anyone better».

Brennan recounted how he completely trusted his teammate's experience, especially in a phase of the race where losing a position could also mean losing the chance to fight for victory. «It was a real shame to lose Christophe Laporte, but it's incredible what we manage to do, even when we're missing a man in situations like this. I blindly trusted Wout and stayed on his wheel until the end».

And again: «It's incredible how he manages to put you in such a perfect position in such a chaotic race».

Brennan's four wins also places him in a very exclusive circle of riders capable of winning four stages in their first Grand Tour. The last to manage it was Fernando Gaviria, at the 2017 Giro d'Italia. A significant precedent, especially considering what the Colombian managed to do the following year: at the first stage of the 2018 Tour de France he claimed victory and, at the same time, the yellow jersey.

A comparison that inevitably fuels Brennan's dreams, because the next objective could be even bigger. In 2027, in fact, the Tour de France will start from the United Kingdom and the young British rider hasn't hidden how special it would be to be there.

«Next year the Tour will start from my country, the United Kingdom, and I've already told the team that for me it would be amazing to win the first stage and the yellow jersey».

A dream that Brennan has already begun building mentally for some time. «About two years ago, when I found out about the start in the United Kingdom, I imagined many things. And yes, personally I would really like to be at the start».

But above all, the British rider would like to find the same men at his side who are accompanying him towards an extraordinary Vuelta.

«Having guys like Wout and Christophe there with me... if we did the same thing, we could really replicate what we've done here and turn it into a yellow jersey already at the first stage».

Then the smile and the awareness of how great that moment would be: «It would truly be fantastic».

Six stage victories and a green jersey already represent an extraordinary balance sheet for Visma | Lease a Bike, but the feeling is that the Dutch team has no intention of settling.

Brennan has become one of the symbols of this Vuelta: young, very fast and increasingly aware of his own potential. Four victories in a Grand Tour, claimed before even completing a long path of experience, tell of a talent that seems to still have enormous room for growth.

And as the Vuelta approaches its conclusion, Visma continues to race with the same philosophy: choose the moment, build the race and then trust your best men.