The stage to Cattolica was far from easy. The peloton was nervous all day. Not only because of the technical nature of the final, but also because of the chance of wind. After everything had come back together in the final kilometres, Groenewegen was brought forward by Van Emden, Affini and Dekker. The lead-out was disrupted by several crashes, after which Groenewegen wasn’t able to do his sprint.

“I made a few mistakes in the final”, Groenewegen said. “That’s why I was trailing behind. My form is good and I am getting more and more rhythm. Those mistakes will disappear and then I will go for it again.”

“We lost each other in the last kilometres”, David Dekker added. “The final was very hectic and dangerous with many roundabouts, sharp turns and lots of crashes. As a result we were too scattered to be able to do a good lead-out. That is mainly due to a lack of experience. It is the first time for Edoardo and me, on the one hand, and Dylan and Jos, on the other, that we ride together.”

Sports director Arthur van Dongen concurred. “We knew in advance that it was going to be a hectic and dangerous day. It was nervous all day and it was a matter of always paying attention. Due to Landa’s crash, the guys lost each other and Dylan lost his position. However, we have to be realistic too. It’s their first time riding with Dylan. We have a lot of faith in Dylan and his lead-out and there are more opportunities to come in this race.”