tour reporter
Dylan Groenewegen wins stage 3 of the Tour de France a day after Fabio Jakobsen wins. The fateful connection between the two Dutchmen thus experiences another punch line.
On the finish line of the 3rd stage of the Tour de France in Sønderborg remembered Dylan Groenewegen of a joke. He often had that with the Belgian Wout Van Aert laughed when they both drove together for the Jumbo-Visma team: “If you’re not sure if you’ve won at the finish line, then celebrate the victory and claim it for yourself.”
So that’s exactly what it had Groenewegen in Sonderborg done before dropping off his implement at a barrier behind the finish line and waiting. A short time later, the finish photo confirmed that he was right in claiming victory and Van Aert relegated to second place.
A special victory for Groenewegen
The victory on Sunday (July 3rd, 2022) was the fifth stage win that the 29-year-old Dutchman has now achieved in his palmares could enter. He is one of the best sprinters in the world. In 2017, Groenewegen even managed to do the prestigious sprint on the Champs Elysees to decide for himself in Paris.
And yet this success was in Sonderborg a very special one. It’s been three years since that Groenewegen last at the Tour de France was at the start. “I am very grateful that my team gave me this chance”, said Groenewegen.
Cause of Jakobsen’s accident
The long break mainly had to do with the fate of the man who won the first sprint of this year’s Tour a day ahead of him – Fabio Jakobsen. It was Groenewegen, who pushed his compatriot into the barrier at the 2020 Tour of Poland at 90 km/h. A messy sprint with fatal consequences for Jakobsen, the Groenewegens deliberately leaving the ideal line almost paid with his life.
The horror of Groenewegen was great. Jakobsen’s team boss Patrick Lefevere even spoke of one “assassination attempt”. The world cycling association UCI drew Groenewegen then out of circulation for half a year. At home in Amsterdam he was temporarily under police protection.
At some point, the Jumbo-Visma team no longer saw any basis for further cooperation. The attempt at reconciliation with Jakobsen also went awry. While Groenewegen thought the meeting had been a success, Jakobsen complained that no personal apology was forthcoming. The relationship has been strained ever since.
Jakobsen no longer has admiration
That Groenewegen in the Tour de France just one day after Jakobsen won the day, is another point in the fateful relationship between the two professional cyclists. Of course, since Jakobsen’s return, both have met in races and fought sprints against each other. But on the big tour stage, where everything takes on more meaning, this special relationship is even more in focus.
“Before the accident, I had great respect for him and admired his achievements. That’s not the case anymore.”said Jakobsen, who botched his sprint in Sønderborg because he caught the rear wheel of his opponent Michael Morkov lost. “Yes, he won, but I don’t care.”
The tour entourage now takes a travel day to get from Denmark to France. On Tuesday, the 4th stage from Dunkirk follows Calais further. There, too, there are good chances of a mass sprint. The duel Groenewegen against Jakobsen will get a sequel. The fates of both sprinters remain intertwined.