In a bunch sprint at the 2020 Tour de Pologne, Dylan Groenewegen was caught up in a brutal crash with Fabio Jakobsen. With Groenewegen at fault, a lot of abuse was given to the Dutchman in the aftermath and he admits contemplating retirement.
"Painful to watch that was. Terrible how Fabio flies into the barriers and how the barriers fly over the road," reflects the Team Jayco AlUla sprinter on the De Grote Plaat podcast. "I shocked myself too. I was deviating from my line. We were riding 84kph and the combination of all those factors and what happens to Fabio makes it terrible."
There is known to still be no love lost between Groenewegen and Jakobsen following the incident. When asked about the immediate aftermath of the crash however, he admits he can't remember a great deal. "My collarbone was in five pieces. Only after a few days did I realise what had happened," he says.
Following the incident, the Dutchman was suspended for nine months due to him being at fault. During that time away though, he admits he contemplated hanging up his cycling shoes for good. "I definitely thought about quitting. I didn't open the garage with the bikes for weeks," he concludes. "All the stuff to do with bikes was allowed by me to be put in boxes and allowed to go."
Ultimately, retirement wasn't Groenewegen's final choice and in 2024, he embarks on his 10th straight season at World Tour level.
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