The last season was one where the victory celebrations were thin on the ground for the Australian WorldTour team but BikeExchange-Jayco has already struck a winning note in 2022 with surprise late season transfer, Dylan Groenewegen, delivering victory during his first race with the squad.
The Dutch Jumbo-Visma transfer delivered on stage 3 of the five-day Saudi Tour. During the opening stage, Groenewegen was out of position and out of the top placings in the sprint but when an opportunity again arose for the sprinters the team was determined not to make the same mistake again.
During the final kilometres of stage 3 Alex Edmondson helped hold position as the teams kept switching at the front and then when he peeled off on the run into the finish line at AlUla Old Town, Groenewegen was firmly ensconced on the wheel of Luka Mezgec. The Slovenian then wound up the pace to drop him off at the front of the pack, leaving his new teammate to hold off the charge of Dan McLay (Arkéa-Samsic) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) in the final 100 metres.
“We tried something on the first day but it didn’t work well but everybody is really strong so ... we made a new plan for today,” said Groenwegen in a team statement. “The finish was really hard but in the end, everyone was there in the small group, we did a really good lead-out and I only sprinted for 100m so thanks to the team and it is incredible that I can give them the win for their help today.”
The race was split early as echelons formed in the cross winds on the exposed terrain and out the front there was a group of about 27, including an attentive Groenewegen and Mezgec.
“It was a really crazy stage but the guys put me in a really good position in the front and also Luka Mezgec was there, but then with the headwind everything came back but that was good for us to have everyone there in the final,” said Groenewegen.
After the field came back together there were still more attempts to cause splits but ultimately a reduced bunch of about 50 remained to contest the sprint.
“We made a really good plan and the tactic was amazing and everybody did a really good job. It’s only the second sprint for me this year, but it feels like we are already working together for two years.”
The victory is Groenewegen’s fourth since his May return from the ban received after sparking a crash at the 2020 Tour de Pologne , which left Fabio Jakobsen with life-threatening injuries.
The 28-year-old rider had been with Jumbo-Visma for six years but his switch to BikeExchange-Jayco – despite having a two-year contract in place at the Dutch team – was announced in December. Groenewegen made the move in search of more opportunity at the biggest races while BikeExchange-Jayco jumped at the chance to add his sprint power to a squad that had delivered only about a third of its normal win tally in 2021.
The team, however, has now clocked up its first international win of the year, something it had to wait till nearly the end of March for in 2021, which has helped sweep away the frustration of an opening day at the Saudi Tour that didn't run to plan.
“We were a little bit angry after the first day but we also learnt a lot so it was also a good day,” said Groenewegen. “Today it is really amazing and good for morale to take the victory in the first race, it is good for the team and for me.”
