"I had some problems, but on the line it was enough" - Dylan Groenewegen back on the top step at the Tour de France

It was a tough journey, but today's win at the Tour de France marks an important step for Dylan Groenewegen, as he took his first big win for Team BikeExchange - Jayco in a highly contested sprint.

“I want to say thank you to my team, to my family and my friends, for bringing me back to the Tour de France – in good shape," Groenewegen said after the finish. "It's wonderful. Physically it was not a struggle to come back, but mentally it was a difficult period of course. After everything that's happened, including my family. This is for my wife and son. It means a lot to me," he said emotionally. 

Having failed to be consistent throughout the year, today was another very important opportunity for the Dutchman. He didn't have the easiest of run-ups in today's stage three, entering the final kilometer quite behind the head of the peloton, however he found the space in the final meters to follow the right wheels and jumped from the wheel of Wout van Aert in the final moments to bring in a big win.

“Yesterday I was a little mad at myself. Today we were closed in for a long time, I was also involved in a crash nine kilometers before the finish. But they got me back in position and we kept calm," he described. "At the end I was on the right side, I was brought into the left corner in good position. In that corner I had some problems, but on the line it was enough. I still can't believe it.”

“I came with a lot more speed, but it was close. Wout asked me: 'Are you sure?' In the 2019 Tour we always joked that you just have to claim victory if you win with one centimeter difference, like Mike [Teunissen], myself and Wout did," Groenewegen concluded. Tuesday the peloton returns to the road where Groenewegen will have a new opportunity to succeed in Calais.