Is Dylan Groenewegen completely back now? After his return in the Tour of Italy in May, the sprinter now also recorded his first victory in the Tour of Wallonia. A new step in the comeback of the Dutchman, who served a 9-month suspension for his part in Fabio Jakobsen’s serious crash in Poland.
Groenewegen himself also suffered a broken collarbone, but the mental consequences were even more serious. Groenewegen sprinted a few times in the Giro, with a 4th place as the best result. Also in the Baloise Belgium Tour that was his best final classification in a sprint. In the Eleven Cities Round he limped behind Tim Merlier.
So in the Tour de Wallonia it was hit. After 185 km from Genappe to Héron over a hilly course, Groenewegen trumped Hofstetter and Vermeersch at the rising line, after his Jumbo-Visma team had caught up with 3 escapees (the Italians Vendrame and Bagioli and the Norwegian Tiller) a few kilometers from the finish.
Fast men like Alexander Kristoff, Fernando Gaviria and Giacomo Nizzolo did not get further than the top 10. Groenewegen also immediately became the first leader.