SONDERBORG, Denmark – Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen overtook Wout van Aert and Peter Sagan at the line to win the third stage of the Tour de France in a photo finish while Van Aert extended his overall lead.
Groenewegen got behind record seven-time Tour sprint champion Sagan’s wheel when he was battling with Van Aert, and found a gap to squeeze through and nudge his wheel over the line to win for the BikeExchange-Jayco team.
“I took a lot of wind and my legs were tired but I still had enough to sprint to the line,” Groenewegen said according to AP.
“Wout van Aert always jokes, saying that if you are not sure of having won, you still claim the victory and you celebrate. That´s what I did (and) I understood I won from the sport directors screaming in the car.”
Groenewegen’s fifth Tour stage win came a day after Fabio Jakobsen’s first. Two years ago, Groenewegen was blamed for a heavy crash at the Tour of Poland that sent Jakobsen flying through roadside crash barriers. Jakobsen was put in an induced coma and needed five hours of surgery on his skull and face.
Although Groenewegen was remorseful over the incident, he was banned from cycling for nine months by cycling’s governing body UCI.
“My family supported me greatly after what happened,” he said. “My new team has put a lot of faith in me and a great train to lead me out. Every victory at the Tour de France is special.”
Three years after his last Tour stage win, the 29-year-old Groenewegen was open-mouthed and emotional as he put his hands over his head. The win was even more special since he crashed nine kilometers out and had to catch the peloton up.
Sagan was cross with Van Aert, meanwhile, muttering angrily and wagging his finger at him after they crossed the line because he found himself boxed to the right and close to the barriers. But there was no contact and Sagan even appeared to lean on Van Aert.
Van Aert picked up a six-second bonus and is now seven seconds ahead of Yves Lampaert and 14 ahead of two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar in the standings. Pogacar’s rival Primoz Roglic, the 2020 Tour runner-up, is seventh overall and stayed nine seconds behind Pogacar.
The stage started in Vejle on the Jutland Peninsula and ended in Sonderborg in southern Denmark after 182 kilometers (113 miles) of flat racing. Groenewegen’s winning time was 4 hours, 11 minutes, 33 seconds.
Pogacar and Roglic were nestled in the main pack with finishing positions irrelevant since they all got the same time.
“It´s been quiet for me today, even though flat stages are always nervous and can be dangerous,” Pogacar said. “I wasn´t affected by the crash in the finale. The first three days have gone well.”
Van Aert wore the leader’s yellow jersey for the Jumbo-Visma team after taking it for the first time. He also extended his lead in the green jersey contest for best sprinter.
“I was a little bit surprised to find myself alone in the lead, but it was nice anyway,” Cort said. “I got a big lead as soon as I broke away, but it was hard to keep the peloton at bay.”
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