Groves proves himself again in bad weather towards spring 2024, but Pedersen doesn't like to see him coming

Kaden Groves secured a second-place finish in the Münsterland Giro on Tuesday, adding another impressive result to his already successful first year with Alpecin-Deceuninck. Additionally, the 24-year-old rider expressed his ambition to compete in the spring classics next year, as he mentioned in his conversation with IDLProCycling.com afterwards.

The scene after the Münsterland Giro was quite memorable: Groves rode alongside number three, Mads Pedersen, from the finish line up the imposing driveway to Münster Castle, with race director Fabian Wegmann by their side. Pedersen and Groves engaged in some light-hearted banter during the ride. "Just one lap in Münster will be plenty for me next year too, Fabian!" they exclaimed.

Once they settled into a side room at the venue, Pedersen, true to his character, continued to lighten the mood. "I haven't had a chance to take a break all day," he quipped, eliciting laughter from everyone present, including Groves. "It was a challenging day, especially given the weather conditions in October," he added.

"It was windy, which created a selective course, especially since we started at full throttle right from the beginning," Groves, the Australian, continued. "In the end, securing a second-place finish like this feels like a significant achievement. Jumbo-Visma had three riders at the front, including Christophe Laporte and two other strong contenders," Groves mentioned, referring to the ultimate winner, Per Strand Hagenes, and Edoardo Affini. "Towards the end, I was the only one with a teammate left, Edward Planckaert, who was also facing a tough challenge and eventually ran out of steam."

Groves is eager to participate in the classics, but Pedersen, in a joking manner, doesn't seem thrilled about it

Following a strong performance in the rain during the Volta Limburg Classic, Groves has already demonstrated his ability to handle challenging races. "I hope to be more visible in the spring classics next year," he shared with IDLProCycling.com. "We haven't finalized a plan yet, but I intend to express my interest to the team. This does mean I'll have to skip the Tour of Catalonia, but I'm perfectly fine with that. I enjoy racing in adverse weather conditions," Groves mentioned, prompting a dry response from Pedersen, who glanced at him and remarked, "I hope you stay away, buddy."

The winner of this year's Vuelta's green jersey has been performing at a consistently high level. "My confidence hasn't necessarily increased after the Vuelta, but it's common for riders to maintain good form after a grand tour. I've managed to stay healthy and always have a strong team supporting me, so I consistently have strong legs," he explained.