Dylan Groenewegen is the latest big-name sprinter to declare his ambition for the opening stage of the 2025 Tour de France, with the 32-year-old confirming he’ll be chasing both the stage win and the yellow jersey when the race starts in Lille on 5th July.
Fresh from two wins at the Tour of Slovenia, Groenewegen told Dutch broadcaster NOS that his form and sprint instinct have returned just in time for cycling’s biggest stage.
“There’s more at stake than just a Tour de France stage, and as a sprinter you don’t get that chance very often,” he said. “The last time was six years ago but I crashed then. Fortunately, Mike Teunissen won and it was still a great day for us as a team. But now I hope that I can do it myself.”
Groenewegen will lead Jayco-AlUla’s sprint plans while Ben O’Connor focuses on the GC, and although 2025 is the final year of Groenewegen’s contract, he’s not approaching the Tour with half-measures. After a turbulent spring, he’s feeling confident again.
A fast finisher back in form
The Dutchman’s path to the Tour has included a concussion at the UAE Tour and another heavy crash at Tirreno-Adriatico, but he insists the recovery is complete.
“When you ride a spring like that, you also have some doubts,” he admitted. “But in recent weeks, the sprint is back to where it should be. The speed is there, the condition is there and the instinct is back to where it should be.”
Groenewegen’s likely rivals in Lille include a who’s-who of elite sprinters: Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier, Jonathan Milan, Biniam Girmay, Arnaud De Lie, Magnus Cort, and Wout van Aert. With the first stage expected to end in a full bunch sprint after 184.9km around the Lille Métropole area, it’s a one-off chance to pull on the yellow jersey.
“If I felt I was no longer good enough, I wouldn’t even go there. I could think of a better holiday,” Groenewegen said with a wry smile.
He’s no stranger to success at the Tour, having taken five stage wins across seven appearances, including last year’s sprint victory in Dijon over Girmay. But a win on stage 1 would carry more weight than any before.
“Of course, there’s always a chance it won’t work out,” he said. “But we’re going to try to turn that opening stage to our advantage. And then you have the yellow jersey as an extra reward.”
A more measured outlook
Groenewegen’s career hasn’t been without controversy or struggle. The nine-month suspension following Fabio Jakobsen’s crash at the 2020 Tour de Pologne altered the trajectory of his career and his public perception. He also became a father in 2021, just as his son faced serious health problems. That experience, he says, changed him.
“I’m calmer, and because of the birth, more of a family person. We enjoy it even more that he is now completely healthy and is with us. And then I also enjoy winning races more.”
There’s maturity now alongside the usual confidence. He still speaks plainly, like any top sprinter, but with perspective shaped by more than results. His sprinting identity, though, remains intact – and that’s what he’ll need when the flag drops in Lille.
Looking beyond stage 1, Groenewegen expects at least two or three more sprint opportunities in the opening week. But this is the one that matters most – the only sprint of the Tour where the yellow jersey is also on the line.
