Unibet Rose Rockets are a team fast rising up cycling’s ranks, on Wednesday scoring their first-ever WorldTour race victory just over three years after their founding.
Sprinter Dylan Groenewegen delivered the landmark victory, speeding to his – and his team’s – fourth win of the year at the Ronde Van Brugge.
The victory was his third in a row this Classics season, following triumphs at the Bredene Koksijde Classic and the GP Jean-Pierre Monseré. Groenewegen’s 16th career WorldTour-level win came at the expense of Jasper Philipsen and Max Kanter, and he was guided along the way by former star sprinter Marcel Kittel.
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‘That is what was still missing for me’
In an interview with WielerFlits following the Ronde Van Brugge, Kittel spoke about the team’s rise – they’ll compete in their first Grand Tour at May’s Giro d’Italia – off the back of a different approach than other, more traditionally-run squads.
“They started out as a YouTube team. But you can still feel that they have a very different atmosphere and vibe than an average pro team,” Kittel explained. “They approach things differently than their competitors, and apparently that works. We are doing very well.”
On a personal level, Kittel is enjoying his time with the team, a new role for the German after several years out of the spotlight following his 2019 retirement from racing.
“What I really enjoy is being able to handle the preparation for every sprint race, lead the meetings, stay in contact with the riders, and hear what problems they are having and what I can do for them,” he said.
“That is what was still missing for me as an ex-racer who has already seen a lot in the cycling world.”
Kittel has worked alongside Groenewegen this season, with the Dutchman so far taking the team just one…
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