Dutch team opts for a different European Championship strategy than the Belgians: "Painful to hear"

While the Belgians have chosen to take no fewer than four top sprinters to the European Championships on home soil, the Netherlands is firmly backing Olav Kooij. This means that Dutch champion Dylan Groenewegen and former European champion Fabio Jakobsen do not have a spot on the team. Groenewegen is disappointed about this, as he honestly admitted during the team presentation of the Renewi Tour to IDLProCycling.com.

After winning the Dutch Championship in Arnhem, Groenewegen had already indicated that the European title race in the Belgian province of Limburg would suit him well. The course between Heusden-Zolder and Hasselt is 223 kilometers long and has 'only' 1,273 meters of elevation, making it, on paper at least, ideal for sprinters. However, in a championship, this is always easier said than done.

That’s why many countries seem to be hedging their bets, knowing there will be cobblestone sections and small hills to conquer. Belgium is doing this with Tim Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Jordi Meeus, and Wout van Aert, while the Netherlands is focusing on Kooij and Mathieu van der Poel. It's worth mentioning that riders like Danny van Poppel and Mike Teunissen can also be fast after a tough finale.

Based on this scenario, national coach Koos Moerenhout chose this quartet, supplemented by Mick van Dijke, Pascal Eenkhoorn, Oscar Riesebeek, and Daan Hoole. "The course is diverse, with a city circuit, but also sections where the race could become intense on the cobblestones and hills. With Olav and Mathieu as the leaders of this group, we can adapt to various scenarios," the coach explained.

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Groenewegen received a 'courteous call' from national coach Moerenhout

The news reached Groenewegen before the cycling fans heard it. "It was painful to hear," admits the 31-year-old from Amsterdam. "I would have really liked to go, but it is what it is. That decision wasn't mine to make, but I might have preferred if the decision had been made after the Renewi Tour. That said, I was called up in a courteous way. Still, it was disappointing to hear."

How did the six-time Tour de France stage winner hear the news? "The explanation was that Poland was the deciding factor. But I didn’t race there, so it felt like a double standard to me. I would have preferred if that choice was made after the Renewi Tour, but it is what it is. It's up to me to prove otherwise here," Groenewegen says, referring to the Renewi Tour.

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To be clear, Groenewegen doesn't want to detract from Moerenhout's choice for Kooij. "We can't say Olav has had a bad year. In fact, he's having a really good year. But the last sprints I did were also good. The Dutch Championship came after a tough race, and there was no doubt about who won there. And then I won a stage in the Tour," he notes, highlighting his successful summer.

Groenewegen handles European Championship snub gracefully and sets sights on success in Renewi Tour

The fact that Belgium has chosen to field (almost) all their sprinters doesn't matter to Groenewegen. "That's their country's choice, so it's up to Olav to prove himself by winning. And it's up to me to prove here that I'm in good shape and that the coach was wrong, but it's still really disappointing for me."

It should be said: Groenewegen is taking his setback like a man. There aren't many opportunities for sprinters in championships, and he doesn't have forever to win a jersey at a European or World Championship. "I had already indicated beforehand that I wanted to go and was eager to compete, but you also have to accept that decision. And it's not a decision I make. I've hinted that I wanted to race, and in the end, I have a lot of respect for the decision that was made. And I already have a beautiful jersey," he says, glancing once more at his red, white, and blue kit.

That jersey can be showcased again in races after a one-month absence. "I'm looking forward to it and I'm motivated," Groenewegen says about the Renewi Tour. "After the Tour, I took some rest and then built back up, and I feel like I'm sharp again. The weather is good, and I'm looking forward to it."

On paper, there are three opportunities for the fast men in the Renewi Tour, but Groenewegen will have to compete against the entire field of sprinters. Among others, Merlier, Kooij, Philipsen, Jonathan Milan, and Biniam Girmay are present. "The field of sprinters is bigger than in the Tour. In grand tours, it's always a bit more spread out, but in the Vuelta, it's less so because it's such a tough race. That's why the good sprinters from the Giro and the Tour are coming together now, so that's fun," concludes the sprint star from Amsterdam.