Groenewegen impresses with sprint victory in Slovenia
Dylan Groenewegen has won the second stage in the Tour of Slovenia in an impressive way. The 24-year-old sprinter of Team LottoNL-Jumbo had to come a long way in the sprint and ultimately won with ease in Rogaska Slatina. For Groenewegen, it’s his ninth victory of the season. It’s also the sixteenth victory for Team LottoNL-Jumbo.
The stage over 152.2 kilometres from Maribor to Rogaska Slatina evolved in a traditional way with an early breakaway. Partly due to the actions of Team LottoNL-Jumbo, the breakaway was caught in the last twenty kilometres, after which Groenewegen and Team LottoNL-Jumbo team captain Primoz Roglic were kept in the front in an ideal position.
However, the sprint preparation wasn’t flawless. “Once again it was a very hectic final. The pace was very high. The team did a great job today, but in the last kilometre we lost each other. As a result, I had to go on my own way instead and initiate my sprint early. I’m very happy with this victory. This is good for me and also good for the team regarding the build-up to the Tour de France. Yesterday, I couldn’t sprint because of that massive crash, and today I had to set something straight. There are a number of top sprinters here whom I beat, which certainly gives me a lot of confidence“, Groenewegen said.