"I'm angry... I had the feeling that I was the fastest" - Dylan Groenewegen fumes after frantic and crash marred stage 3 sprint at Tour de France
Cycling
It wasn't to be for Dylan Groenewegen in the first bunch sprint of the 2024 Tour de France. The newly-crowned Dutch national champion was forced to settle for 5th place as Biniam Girmay took a history making stage win.
"I'm angry," a furious Groenewegen began his post-stage interview with NOS afterwards, clearly irked at missing a big opportunity for victory, having seen the likes of Jasper Philipsen and Mark Cavendish held up by a late crash. "If you're the fastest, you just can't be satisfied with this. And I had the feeling that I was the fastest, by far. But in the end it's about being the first to cross the line."
Groenewegen had caught the eye earlier in the day, when he took to the start line with a curious addition to the typical sunglasses of a bike rider, a Batman-esque nose guard. In the finale the eye was also drawn to the Team Jayco AlUla sprinter as he furiously thumped his handlebars as he crossed the line, seemingly frustrated at Arnaud De Lie. "There was no room for me. If we're talking about the right line... It wasn't a straight line. I don't know who it was, but I was hindered," he reflects on the final battle.
"I never had the feeling that I was the fastest last year. Last year I was sometimes satisfied with a place of honour, but now I am the fastest and then you just have to win," concludes the 31-year-old Dutchman's analysis. "The team was also doing well until the fall. The feeling is also good and there are still plenty of opportunities. I ultimately finished fifth, but I cannot be satisfied with that. I just want to win."
Watch the final sprint for yourself in the video down below and make up your own mind if Groenewegen was hindered from taking victory or not!
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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BINIAM GIRMAY 🇪🇷 History maker, again! #TDF2024
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