Cyclist Dylan Groenewegen has a wonderful resume. He has already won five stages in the Tour de France and became Dutch champion. Yet he also likes to participate in the Amsterdam cross competition. “I participate a few times every year. Otherwise I would have had to cycle through the polder for five hours today,” says Groenewegen soberly.
And so Groenewegen was at the start on Sunday afternoon at a match of the Amsterdam cross competition in Landsmeer. The born Amsterdammer registers in a hay barn and pays the six euros in registration costs.
“I see it mainly as a good training. I can go here by bike. Then cross country for an hour and then come back. That way you can sit on the couch with a satisfied feeling,” says Groenewegen.
“A competition for professionals to amateurs or old neighbors who want to make each other’s lives miserable in the field,” says chairman Rinus Cerfontain about the Amsterdam cross competition.
15 year old talent
At 13:00 the category up to 45 years will start and Groenewegen will start. The 15-year-old (!) Michiel Mouris soon makes a hole. Groenewegen has to chase the entire race, but fails to close the gap. Mouris wins the race and Groenewegen is second in a few seconds. “It went pretty well. Someone was just better and at least I have a bunch of flowers,” says Groenewegen after the game.