Dylan Groenewegen has high hopes ahead of Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic: "Victory in Hungary gives me a lot of confidence"

Dylan Groenewegen will hunt for his fifth victory in the Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic on Saturday. The Dutchman is clear leader of Team Jayco AlUla. Groenewegen, who will also ride Rund um Köln on Sunday, says he will line up to the start with a large moral boost from Hungary.

"Of course the victory in the Tour de Hongrie gives me a lot of confidence for next weekend," says 29-year-old Groenewegen. “As a team we can certainly improve things, but we are getting stronger every race. I know the Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic well and normally it will be a sprint. The goal is to take my fifth win."

Groenewegen is also looking ahead to the Rund um Köln, where he will start on Sunday. "That race also brings back good memories, because I managed to win there in 2016. The style is different, because sometimes a leading group stays away. Hopefully it will be a bunch sprint on Sunday."

"We are going full for Dylan this weekend, especially because he has already won both races in the past," sports director Tristan Hofmann does not hide the ambitions. "The course in Veenendaal has changed a bit compared to last year. In Rund um Köln it becomes a more difficult story, because of the hilly parcours."

Hofmann thinks that a different race tactic will be needed in Germany. “We will have to have more riders up front in the hills because there will definitely be attacks. Then it's time to take control again. I think our riders are ready. They were in good shape at Tour de Hongrie."

Team Jayco AlUla lineup for Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic & Rund um Köln:

Dylan Groenewegen, Luke Durbridge, Tsgabu Grmay, Elmar Reinders, Jan Maas, Blake Quick and Kelland O'Brien