"Today was a very big step forward and we hope to turn that into a victory next time" - Dylan Groenewgen after 5th place in stage 7

Dylan Groenewegen was unable to capitalize on the third sprint opportunity of this Tour de France. He had to accept a fifth place behind Jasper Philipsen, who won a stage for the third time in this Tour.

“I was sitting well, but more people wanted to sit,” Groenewegens begins. “Then I got completely boxed in and had nowhere to go. I moved a bit further back, but Luka Mezgec brought me forward again. At that point I actually wanted to go. Only Philipsen and Pedersen were fighting and Cavendish came on the right. Then I had to brake and start again.”

Groenewegen therefore speaks of a missed opportunity in conversation with NOS. “Yes, I think that victory was definitely there. The shape was really good too. We didn't really see that in the last two sprints. Today the legs were really good, also in terms of speed. But we come to win and we didn't.”

Groenewegen does not think keeping Philipsen's wheel to the last is the key to victory. “I mainly rely on my own teammates who did very well today. Today was a very big step forward and we hope to turn that into a victory next time.”