"Everyone lifts each other up": Dylan Groenewegen on cloud nine after a perfect teamplay earns him Brugge victory

Those cycling fans who chose to follow the Ronde van Brugge on a Wednesday afternoon were granted a special privilege to enjoy an all-out echelon carnage with groups all over the Belgian roads. Ultimately, the race lead to a reduced sprint where Dylan Groenewegen overpowered Jasper Philipsen to secure his biggest victory in Unibet Rose Rockets colors so far.

Speaking after the race in the Unibet Rose Rockets press release, Groenewegen highlighted the blend of young and experienced talent and was positive about the team's competitive environment. "There’s a really good mix in this team. Young riders who learn very fast, and everyone is pushing each other. That’s something special. Everyone lifts each other up and wants to get the best out of each other."

Critical moment for Groenewegen came at 45 kilometers to go. But the Dutchman could lean on his team to solve the issue for him in no time: "I had a flat tyre one lap before the finish, so that was not ideal. But we stayed calm as a team and managed to come back. In the end, we were in a really good position." Two important riders to solving this predicament turned up to be two youngsters - 23 years old Wessel Mouris and a year younger Karsten Feldmann.

The last phase of the race was a bit calmer with everything winding down to a "Philipsen vs The world" duel for victory, where Groenewegn quite convincingly defeated his Belgian opponent. "Jasper Philipsen went quite early in the final, and I just followed him. The team did a great job. In the last 100 meters, we were there with three guys, that’s very cool to see."