All too often in the recent past, the Dutchman had been written off and consigned to retirement. But under sprint coach Marcel Kittel, the 32-year-old is blossoming again. Groenewegen has already celebrated his fourth win of the season after a good 200 kilometres in Bruges. He has won three races in a row within five days - first Bredene Koksijde (1.Pro), then the GP Jean-Pierre Monseré (1.1) and now the Ronde van Brugge (1.UWT), which was still called Brugge-De Panne until last year.

"It's been a pretty good week so far in Belgium," said Groenewegen, after his 81st professional victory of his career. Whoever wins has fun. We have a good mix of young and experienced riders. And when you go into the last kilometre with such an inexperienced bunch of three, it's just great. They learn quickly and that's why we reap the results," said the winner happily and included his team in the success.

Nothing happened for a long time on the way. Not even a leading group wanted to establish itself. Only when the peloton broke up towards the middle of the race on the edge of the wind did some movement come into the race. Ultimately, however, this did nothing to change the expected bunch sprint.

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Although there were a few attacks, the peloton stayed together for the 50 kilometres of the day. Shortly before the first cobbled section, a Spanish-Belgian duo was able to gain 15 seconds, but this too was quickly cancelled out on the cobbles. A windy bunch scenario that had formed after the sector was also history two kilometres later. It didn't stop at this one crack in the peloton, but even by the halfway point of the race - the peloton had already reached the circuit around Bruges, which had to be completed twice - everyone was quickly repaired again, so that they all continued towards the finish.

Nothing happened on the second passage of the cobbled section either. However, a good 80 kilometres before the finish, the peloton split again on the wind edge. And this time the split had consequences, as there was up to half a minute between the initially equally sized fields. However, the first group, which included top favourite Groenewegen, continued to attack. As a result, a leading group of almost 30 riders established itself, which had pulled out a minute on the peloton 60 kilometres before the finish.

Walscheid animates the final

42 kilometres before the finish, however, there was a breakaway. And twelve kilometres later, there was a crash in the final cobbled section, in which last year's winner Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) was also involved. The teams neutralised each other over the following kilometres. It was only in the finale that things got moving again. Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team) attacked 15 kilometres before the finish, but was then brought back first by a quartet around Max Walscheid (Lidl - Trek) and then by the rest of the peloton.

Walscheid tried again as a soloist three kilometres before the end, but Astana wouldn't allow it. And then it was time to sprint. Groenewegen once again proved his strong form and put Philipsen and Kanter in their place.