Kaden Groves Wins Stage in Tour de France, Completing Grand Tour Trilogy

Pontarlier, France – Kaden Groves of Australia, riding for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, secured a remarkable victory in the Tour de France, finishing the stage in 4 hours, 6 minutes, and 9 seconds. He crossed the line 54 seconds ahead of Frank van den Broek from the Netherlands, marking a significant milestone in his career.

With this triumph, Groves becomes the third winner for Alpecin-Deceuninck in this year’s Tour, following the earlier successes of teammates Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel.

As he approached the finish line, Groves showed his emotion by sobbing and thanking his team, a testament to the emotional weight of completing wins across all three Grand Tours – the Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, and now the Tour de France.

From the start of the stage, Groves set a fast pace, quickly building a lead that would allow him to maintain control as the race unfolded. At one point, he had a lead of 40 seconds over van den Broek, and with 15 kilometers to go, this lead grew as fellow competitors struggled to keep up.

The day was not without its challenges; rain swept over the riders, making sections of the course treacherous. Groves, however, maintained his focus and navigation through the wet roads demonstrated his skill in these conditions.

The final climb of the day proved divisive as riders like Romain Gregoire and Simone Velasco fell back after trying to keep pace with Groves. In a dramatic moment, Ivan Romeo crashed during a challenging descent, which affected several riders.

Groves entered the final kilometers with a commanding lead, approaching the flamme rouge – marking just a kilometer left to race – at 50 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. It became clear that his victory was imminent, sending fans into a frenzy as they cheered from the roadside.

As he crossed the finish line, Groves shook his head in disbelief, overwhelmed by his achievement. “I can’t believe it,” he said, reflecting on his win. “This is everything I’ve worked for.”

The win also shifts Joegat into the virtual tenth place in the general classification, while Groves’ exceptional performance further cements his place as a rising star in professional cycling.