Mark Cavendish is "without a doubt, he is the greatest sprinter of all time" - Dylan Groenewegen

Heading into his sixth Tour de France, Dylan Groenewegen is starting with high hopes of taking victories throughout the three weeks, he's discussed his preparation, leadout, and Mark Cavendish who he considers t be the greatest sprinter of all time.

“I never knew great heroes that I was a fan of as a child. I did grow up with the images of Cavendish winning bunch sprints in the Tour. I like his way of sprinting. How fast he was, eh is. Without a doubt, he is the greatest sprinter of all time," Groenewegen said in an interview with Wielerflits. "He has won so many races. Stages in the grand tours, classics and of course the World Championships on the road. In the Giro d'Italia he showed with his stage win in Rome that he can still win at the highest level. That proves that he can also win a stage in the coming Tour. I hope it works out for him and that he can set the record with his 35th stage victory in the Tour. Although that would be one less chance for us.”

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Team Jayco AlUla comes in with Simon Yates who may try to go for the overall classification, however the lineup the Australian team has selected makes it clear that the sprints are their priority. Groenewegen will be one of many of the world's best sprinters who will be present at the Tour, which features several stages suited to the fast men, and has gotten quite a lot of support.

"It is clear that there is not one sprinter to beat. Indeed, it seems on paper that Fabio [Jakobsen], Jasper [Philipsen] and I are currently the fastest. But other men can always come forward as well. Cavendish, but certainly also Caleb Ewan, should never be underestimated," he poitns out. "There are enough sprinters at the start, so we can get crazy finals. But if you can beat all those men, such a victory also feels much better.”

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Although a yellow jersey won't be available this year for the sprinters, green will always be. The Dutchman is not a rider who can usually go over climbs, but with the amount of pure flat sprints which will take place, he is not to be discarded as a contender for the jersey, as the points available in those stages will be crucial.

“To be honest, I like this. It will ensure that the first days are less hectic than usual," he says of the tough Grand Depart in the Basque Country. "Hopefully we have a small chance of a sprint in the third stage. Stage four to Nogaro will normally be a bunch sprint. It will be a survival journey for us. I have taken that into account in my preparation for this Tour. Partly for this reason, we have now again opted for the Criterium du Dauphiné.”

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A mountainous Tour means that being able to contest all sprints first means getting over the tough days. However he comes prepared, and for the sprints he has the support necessary, with a few powerhouse riders to help in the last kilometers, and his leadout of Elmar Reinders and Luka Mezgec present.

“There may well be a sprint before the sprint. The lead-outs are very important. You won't see a real sprint train that often anymore, but it is important that three to four guys can save energy for the last kilometers," the 30-year old adds. "I have had a good preparation for this Tour with Luka. He is in good shape and one of the best lead-outs in the peloton. We are really motivated to strike in the Tour.”

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