Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to third in the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s sprinter took the lead with 350 metres to go, but Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) passed for the win and Wouter Wippert (Cannondale) second.

It was unsure before the race that the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California would be a bunch sprint. Halfway, there was a long first categorised climb, but the peloton did not break up. “Katusha and Dimension Data controlled the race and made sure we’d have a bunch kick,” Sports Director Frans Maassen said. “We wanted to start our lead-out as late as possible and chose to take the lead with three kilometres to go. It was looking good, but we were blown away. Dylan Groenewegen still got his chance to show off and he did it strongly. He had a lot of power.”

Headwind

“We succeeded in our aim to take the lead at the right point,” Groenewegen added. “We weren’t able to have a proper lead-out, though, because we were passed on the right and the left with one kilometre to go. In the final 350 metres, I found some space and started my sprint. I thought that I was going to win, but it was too early with the headwind in the final metres. The men worked well today and I’m satisfied with my sprint.” Groenegewen was the best young rider in the first stage and grabbed the white jersey.

On Monday, the second stage of the Tour of California features more climbs in its profile, so it will be harder to force a bunch sprint. That will give Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s climber George Bennett the chance to deliver.