"Second is a fantastic result" - Van den Broek happy despite missing out on Tour de France stage win

Stage 20 of the 2025 Tour de France delivered late drama and tactical intrigue, as Kaden Groves powered to a solo victory after escaping from a breakaway group. Dutch rider Frank van den Broek crossed the line in second, a result he described as both realistic and rewarding given the circumstances of the race.

"There was that crash on the descent. I hope everyone is okay. I ended up with Groves and Stewart; they're very good sprinters. I thought that would be a very difficult situation for me to win," van den Broek told NOS. "I thought: I'm not going to take over anymore. And Stewart leaves the gap, and I think Groves wins the stage there. But he was the strongest in that group anyway. Finishing second is the best possible result."

The Dutchman made it clear he was riding smart, not passive. "I said, 'I'm not going to ride, I can hardly sprint against you with my 1000 watts,'" he laughed. "I said, 'Congratulations, you're giving the stage away here.' He was a bit pissed off with me; he didn't understand why I didn't want to ride. I had my reasons; I stuck to the strategy. I think that was the best thing. I don't know what would have happened if I had followed Groves. Then I think I'd have finished third."

Van den Broek also reflected on earlier moments in the race. "I probably should have jumped with Sweeney," he said, recalling the early move by the Australian rider with 60 kilometers to go. "He went really early, against the wind. I expected more from guys like Wellens and Jorgenson. But everyone was mainly watching them."

Despite not taking the stage, van den Broek was satisfied with both the day's result and the team’s performance over the Tour. "We broke away with a group of guys where I thought: this is going to be a very difficult story. Second is a fantastic result. We've had such a great Tour, we've often finished in the top 10 and were in contention for the win. So I can only look back with satisfaction."