The 163.5km flat course from Macon to Dijon was undoubtedly going to finish in a pack sprint after the day before’s historic win by Mark Cavendish.
However, the 39-year-old British rider was unable to add to his 35th stage victory on Wednesday, which moved him above of Eddy Merckx for the overall record, and finished out of the race in Thursday’s sprint.
Groenewegen, 31, of Team Jayco–AlUla, beat Jasper Philipsen by just a wheel trim after making a late push for the lead.
With that victory, Groenewegen achieved his sixth career stage win and his first since 2022, when he joined his Australian squad.
Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck was later dropped to 107th position for changing his course and obstructing Wout van Aert in the last 150 meters.
The leader Tadej Pogacar is still 45 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel in the general classification standings, with the reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard five seconds behind in third.
