Groenewegen frustrated by missed chances in a "weird" first Tour week: "Even in a flat stage, Mathieu wants to attack"

To summarize, in the first stage, Groenewegen missed the breakaway that ultimately fought for the stage win and the yellow jersey. Two days later, in Dunkirk, he finished 13th, and in the last sprint weekend, he didn't get further than 15th and 16th place, which he was quite p*ssed off about. “I had hoped for a little more so far, of course,” he told NOS. “But it is what it is; the start wasn't great.”

What doesn't help is that every stage has been a huge battlefield, whether due to the wind or the attacking spirit of the top riders. "It's been a bit of a strange Tour so far, indeed. Even in such a completely flat stage, Mathieu (Van der Poel, ed.) wants to attack, which causes echelons behind him, no echelons... Everything comes back, and then you have to chase Mathieu? It's a bit of a strange Tour, but fun for you guys, I think.“

Despite the many hilly stages, the first week was where most of the sprint opportunities were. They are becoming increasingly scarce, but there is still one certainty, it seems. "Stage 17 is the bigger opportunity, although things could still fall into place in the meantime, opening up a chance. But stage 17 seems like a sure bet under normal circumstances." That stage, which finishes in Valence, has "only" 1,600 meters of elevation gain. The ride to the Champs-Élysees seems impossible, thanks to the addition of Montmartre.

To get to that final sprint opportunity, Groenewegen will have to survive a week in the Tour, and that week is packed with mountain stages. ‘And mountains, don't count me in,’ he laughs. ‘It'll just be a matter of survival. The mountains are mainly at the end of the stage, so that makes it a bit easier for the sprinters to get over the finish line in time.’

Despite the disappointing performances and a tough second week, the former Dutch champion—who has won six Tour stages in the past, including one on the Champs-Élysées—remains optimistic. “You can sit in your room crying, but that's not going to help. I still feel fresh every day, every morning. I'm still looking at it positively.”