Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s Dylan Groenewegen won the Tour of Britain’s stage four today with a sprint ahead of Dan McClay (Great Britain). The Dutchman profited off the power of the team to deliver the win. Belgian Julien Vermote (Etixx) retains the overall lead.

"When I’m in a clear position to sprint, I'm at my best. Today, the team ensured that I was in that position,” Groenewegen said. "All day, I had team-mates around me who helped me on every climb. When I got stuck behind, they made sure I got back into the peloton."

"The plan was to sprint with Dylan,” Sports Director Merijn Zeeman explained. “We knew it would be a tough goal in a stage of 217 kilometres and 4000 metres climbing. When it succeeds, though, it’s extra nice.

“Many teams had the objective of getting rid of the sprinters and that was successful, many sprinters dropped off. That Groenewegen finished it off with a win is fantastic. "

Leezer at full-gas

Groenewegen didn’t expect such a win with all the climbs in the stage and the classification teams trying to break up the group after the escape was reeled in at 40 kilometres out. LottoNL-Jumbo, however, had many riders left and worked with Lotto-Soudal in the last 15 kilometres.

"In the last half hour, we were still with five men in the first group, then you know you have a chance to win,” added Zeeman.

Groenewegen said, "Merijn Zeeman had warned us about the corners and the narrow section in the final kilometre. Tom Leezer went through there full-gas trough and I followed him. I just needed to sprint 250 meters from the finish."

Development

"That Dylan Groenewegen can win after such a hard stage is good for his development as a sprinter,” said Zeeman. 

"It's nice that we can finish such a heavy day with a stage win,” Groenewegen added. “It's great that we are getting better at these kinds of sprints."