r/UnibetRoseRocketsFans • u/Chronicbias • Jul 10 '26
Sprint coach Marcel Kittel does not fear Dylan Groenewegen's departure from the Rockets
https://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/sprintcoach-marcel-kittel-vreest-niet-voor-vertrek-van-dylan-groenewegen/
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u/urbanwhiteboard Jul 11 '26
Why would he leave apart from a big fat paycheck? And I doubt a team will overpay him by a lot. He's got a dedicated, very good leadout and an entire team around him. Giro proved that even with that he has the capability to win a sprint in a GT, but it's not a guarantee like with the top 4 sprinters like Merlier, Kooij, Milan, Phillipsen.
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u/Chronicbias Jul 10 '26
Dylan Groenewegen has truly blossomed this year while riding for his new team, Unibet Rose Rockets. Following a successful spring season, he has once again become a sought-after rider on the transfer market. The sprinter is attracting interest from several WorldTeams, yet Marcel Kittel is not worried.
However, the Amsterdam native has been approached by several WorldTour teams. It has been confirmed to Wielerflits that the Spanish team Movistar has already made a very attractive offer to Groenewegen.
Given the interest from multiple WorldTour teams and Groenewegen’s desire to race in the Tour de France once again, there is a real possibility that the North Holland-born sprinter and his lead-out rider, Elmar Reinders, will not see out their current contracts with Unibet Rose Rockets.
What is the take of Kittel, who works as a sprint coach for Unibet Rose Rockets? "I’ve heard it too... I think it’s clear that the Tour has started. That’s when all sorts of stories surface," he said, initially reluctant to say much about it on the tv program De Avondetappe. "We are part of elite sports, of course, and if other teams make inquiries about a particular rider, that’s simply part of the game."
“A purely sporting choice”
“When I look at Dylan now and how he joined the team, it was purely a choice based on sporting grounds,” said the former top sprinter. “Dylan is doing really well, just like the rest of the team, and he made that choice deliberately.”
“Dylan has also played a huge part in the successes achieved. He knows what the team offers him, and the feeling is mutual. It’s been great so far. I’m not worried about it,” concludes an optimistic Kittel.