Groenewegen’s late push to the line pipped Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) at the line by mere millimetres with the 29-year-old collecting his fifth career win at the Tour de France in a photo finish.
It was a messy bunch sprint with Jumbo-Visma launching towards the finish line with 200 metres to go as van Aert battled with Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies) along the barriers.
Groenewegen capitalised by flying through the traffic to get his wheel across the finish line in first, with van Aert second and Jasper Philpsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third.
Stage 2 winner Fabio Jakobsen (QuickStep Alpha Vinyl) was only able to finish in fifth, while Aussie Caleb Ewan’s (Lotto Soudal) final dash up the inside of the barriers was blocked by Sagan and van Aert leaving him to salm his handlebars in frustration as he sat up and finished in ninth.
Van Aert’s second-place finish ensured he holds onto the yellow jersey for another day with a seven-second lead over Stage 1 winner Yves Lampaert. Tadej Pogacar remains in third 14 seconds off the pace.
In the points classification, van Aert also holds onto top spot on 107 points, 17 ahead of Jakobsen in second, while Groenewegen moves into third on 60 points.
It was a brilliant fightback for Groenewegen who secured the win despite being caught up in a crash with 10 kilometres to go.
It was a milestone result for the Dutchman as he secured his biggest victory since returning from a nine-month ban in 2021 for his role in Jakobsen’s horrific crash at the 2020 Tour of Pologne.
"I want to say thanks to my team, family and friends to bring me back to the Tour in a good shape. It's beautiful,” Groenewegen said.
"Not physically but mentally it was a hard time, of course. After all that happened... This is for my wife and my son. It means a lot for me.
“Yesterday I was a little bit angry at myself. Today we were a long time boxed in. I was also involved in the crash at nine kilometres to go but they brought me back in position and we stayed calm.
“In the end, I was on the right side. Amund [Grøndahl Jansen] brought me in a good position on the left corner. I struggled a bit there but at the finish line it was enough and I still can't believe it."
Danish rider Magnus Cort retains the polka dot jersey after another huge breakaway.
The EF Education - Easy Post rider revelled on home soil taking another three climbs before succumbing to the chasing peloton with a little over 40 kilometres to go.
Groenewegen’s BikeExchange-Jayco teammate Michael Matthews remains the highest-ranked Australian in the battle for the yellow jersey at 11th overall.
Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroen) moves up to 47th overall in the GC, one minute and eight seconds back, while Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious) dropped to 87th, one minute and 37 seconds behind Van Aert.
Monday is a rest day for Le Tour as the race moves back to France before racing resumes on Tuesday for Stage 4, a 171 kilometre ride from Dunkirk to Calais.
Watch Tuesday evening from 9.05 pm AEST on the SBS ŠKODA Tour Tracker, with SBS television and SBS On Demand coverage starting at 9.30 pm AEST.
