"Worthless points system" sees Groenewegen focus on Belgian classics as he rides to third at Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Cycling
Dylan Groenewegen rode to second place at the GP de Fourmies earlier this week, and once again he was close to a big win, as he sprinted to third place at the Belgian semi-classic today.
"I was still in the slipstream of Jakobsen, but I didn't have the legs," the Dutchman said after the finish. “My bike didn't work properly anymore, actually I couldn't change gears anymore. That made the sprint even more difficult. In the end I am satisfied with third place, the legs were just not good".
Groenewegen rode under the radar on the finale into Koolskamp. The fight for positioning was intense and chaotic, and few riders managed to emerge. The 29-year old was against the barriers on the inside in the sprint finale, and as he saw his compatriot riding into the win, he could not manage more than to sneak into the podium.
“I really enjoy riding in Belgium. It's up to me to collect points for our team here. I just want to say that it really is a worthless points system," he said. His third place earned Team BikeExchange - Jayco another 70 points on the ranking, although with Caleb Ewan bringing in 85 for Lotto Soudal, the gap has slightly been reduced in the fight for maintenance. Groenewegen assures however that he will stay in Belgium for the coming period of time to help the team secure it's future. He will be racing the Primus Classic and the Gooikse Pijl in the coming two days where he should be the leader of the Australian team.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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#KoolskampKoers🇧🇪 It's a bunch sprint finish as expected, and @GroenewegenD pushes hard into the final metres but is just beaten to the line. Jakobsen (QST) wins 🏁 ®️esult: 3rd for Dylan.
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