‘This train has no limit,’ they said at Tietema’s Rockets even before Groenewegen’s win in Bruges

Groenewegen hit the ground running with his new team. Unibet Rose Rockets celebrated thanks to the Amsterdam-born sprinter in the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana, meaning the partnership between the fast finisher and Bas Tietema’s team had already produced an early highlight on 25 January. After that, attention shifted to the Belgian classics.

There, Groenewegen struck again. In the Bredene-Koksijde Classic, he beat Pascal Ackermann and Pavel Bittner to the top step of the podium. Two days later, he won GP Jean-Pierre Monseré as well. And only a few days after that, another victory followed thanks to a superb sprint in Bruges.

Müller witnessed it all from close range. In Bredene, GP Jean-Pierre Monseré and Bruges, he was part of Groenewegen’s sprint train. The young German joined this winter from the Intermarché-Wanty development setup and already looks completely at home in the Tietema squad.

When we asked him before the start of the Tour of Bruges how his first months with the team had gone, a big smile immediately appeared on his face. “It’s super exciting. I’m really enjoying it. I think the Rockets is a really nice team for me and I’m really enjoying my time here. I feel comfortable within the team and the atmosphere is great. It almost happens naturally, I would say.”

At his new team, Müller has been given a role in the sprint train, which is guided by fellow German Marcel Kittel. “We work very closely with him,” the youngster explained. “I think we benefit a lot from his knowledge about sprinting. We analyse the sprints and before races we do the meeting together with him. I think it’s a big advantage for us to have him in our team, and also to have him in the team car.” Kittel joined Unibet Rose Rockets as a sprint coach in late 2025, with the team presenting him as a key figure in building a winning lead-out around Groenewegen.

Kittel has clearly helped get the machine running smoothly. So what does Müller see as the secret behind that success? “I think everyone on this team is fully able to sacrifice himself for the victory. I think that’s very important — that seven riders are working toward one goal. Of course I also think we’re in good shape. We always have a good plan, and we stick to it. That really makes the difference.”

The Rockets had already taken wins in 1.1 races and, thanks to the Bredene-Koksijde Classic, also in a 1.Pro race. But where is the ceiling for this team? “I think there is no limit for this train,” Müller said. “I think we’re capable of doing much more. We need to keep working well together and get to know each other even better. Dylan and Elmar Reinders have worked together for a long time. Right now, I don’t see any limit for this team in terms of what we can achieve.”

The young German turned out to be absolutely right, roughly six hours before Groenewegen went on to win the Tour of Bruges. For now, that limit really does not seem to exist. Or at least: it was no WorldTour classic before Wednesday, and then an unleashed Groenewegen simply went out and added one to the list.