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Follow us on GoogleAs Dylan Groenewegen stands talking to the press — including IDL Pro Cycling — on Sofia's main boulevard, a cheer erupts just beyond the barriers. It is the eight men of Soudal Quick-Step, celebrating Paul Magnier's second stage win of this Giro d'Italia. "You can hear what that sounds like — that's what we want with this team," says Groenewegen.
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The Dutch leader of Unibet Rose Rockets came to the Giro with a stage win as his goal, knowing that the first three days in Bulgaria would give him two immediate opportunities. On day one, the Amsterdammer crashed out in Burgas; two days later in Sofia, he came much closer.
"The team were brilliant," said Groenewegen — and he hit the nail on the head. From controller Hartthijs de Vries to lead-out man Elmar Reinders, the Rockets executed perfectly. But as so often in a sprint, the difference came down to the details. Groenewegen waited a fraction too long, allowing the other sprinters to take the inside line on the Bulgarian cobblestones.
"Where we fell short on day one, we got it right this time. But I should have gone earlier — with around 200 metres to go. I had the speed, so that was just stupid," said Groenewegen, putting his finger precisely on the problem.
Had the Dutchman taken the inside line first — and the fastest route to the finish — and hit the cobblestones with more speed, there would likely have been little anyone could do. Despite a late jump, he came up centimetres short. "It was too late, and I felt that immediately."
Continue reading below the video.
Groenewegen gets another chance on stage 6
Nevertheless, it was the first Grand Tour podium in the history of Unibet Rose Rockets — and we should not forget that Groenewegen had been riding with a dislocated shoulder since Friday. "But I'm not thinking about that now. A crash can always happen. We're here to win — now and in the first stage," he said. "This result is encouraging, but next time we want to win."
That next time comes in Naples, where the fast men head on stage 6. First, Groenewegen and his teammates have a rest day — flying out of Sofia to Italy on Sunday evening.
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026
- What a mess. The report makes it sound as though nobody properly explained the decision, and that’s hard to defend.jennifer1910-11-2026
- I’m still learning the rules: does moving left in a sprint automatically bring a penalty, or does it depend on whether the other rider is blocked? It sounds like Brand wasn’t impeded here.patriciaw10-11-2026
- A final decision still needs a proper explanation. If the federation’s complaint goes nowhere, I hope the officials at least review how they handled the riders afterwards.michael5410-11-2026
- Fair play to Lucinda for saying Marie had won fair and square. That kind of sportsmanship matters, especially after such a controversial decision.raceready710-11-2026
- Schreiber beat Brand on the road, so the jury needed to explain clearly why that slight deviation warranted relegation. Being cut off before she could give her account sounds appalling.lindae10-11-2026
