Dylan Groenewegen has failed to successfully defend the leader’s jersey in the Dubai Tour. The Dutchman raced to a top ten classification in the mass sprint, but was given a twenty seconds time penalty by the jury. Groenewegen remains the leader in the points classification however.

The time penalty was imposed on him because he was brought back to the peloton after a bike change behind the team car. That change happened exactly at the wrong time, according to sports director Jan Boven. “Right at the moment when echelons were forming we had to give Dylan a new bike. Moreover, that didn’t go completely smoothly.”

Groenewegen had to get back to the peloton and did so by staying out of the wind behind the team car. “That’s our mistake and we are being punished for that by a time penalty”, said Jan Boven, who, as a sports director regretted the events.

Because of the penalty, Groenewegen has dropped from the top ten to the 42nd place.