Groenewegen hails ‘special’ team dynamic after historic Rockets victory

Little would have thought that Groenewegen would have the start he has had to life in the striking Unibet Rose Rockets colours after a mixed ending to his stint at Aussie WorldTour outfit Jayco AlUla. But Groenewegen has seamlessly integrated himself, taking them to achievements they haven't reached before, such as ticking off their first WorldTour stage win.

The signs of performance were immediately clear from Groenewegen, as he won in his first outing in pastures new back in January, with a few close calls in between. But over the past week, the Dutchman has been on a romp, with three victories in his last three appearances.

Speaking after the race in the Unibet Rose Rockets press release, Groenewegen highlighted the blend of young and experienced talent and was positive about the team's competitive environment. “There’s a really good mix in this team. Young riders who learn very fast, and everyone is pushing each other. That’s something special. Everyone lifts each other up and wants to get the best out of each other.”

Not only does Groenewegen have his trusty leadout man, Elmar Reinders, but the new acquisitions of young talent have also performed well in the Rockets train, including the likes of 22-year-old Karsten Larsen Feldmann, among other hard-working riders.

The Ronde van Brugge itself was packed with typical echelon chaos and crashes, and included a flat tyre for Groenewegen around 45 kilometres out. On the matter, Groenewegen stated, “I had a flat tyre one lap before the finish, so that was not ideal. But we stayed calm as a team and managed to come back. In the end, we were in a really good position."

And in a good position he was, as Groenewegen’s positioning was almost perfect. He was part of every front split that formed in the remaining kilometres and was able to finish it off after being delivered into prime sprinting position in the final kilometre, as the Rockets had three riders in the front group.

Groenewegen, recalling the sprint victory, said of Jasper Philipsen, who launched early due to having no teammates to support him: “Jasper Philipsen went quite early in the final, and I just followed him. The team did a great job. In the last 100 meters, we were there with three guys, that’s very cool to see.”