Dutch sprinter Fabio Jakobsen, insufficiently recovered from his fall ten days ago, is leaving the roads of the Tour de France, announced his Soudal-Quick Step team at the start of the 12th stage on Thursday in Roanne.
“Because of my crash during the 4th stage, and in consultation with the team, we decided that it was better for my Tour de France to end there. It seems impossible to me to get to Paris because my body is not recovering from the fall,” Jakobsen said in a statement released by his team.
Winner of a stage last year, the Dutchman, a cycling miracle after a nightmarish fall in the Tour of Poland in 2020, fell in the final of the Nogaro stage, suffering from bruises and abrasions.
Since then, he has never managed to challenge for victory in the sprint finishes, finishing fifteenth at best despite being one of the fastest riders in the peloton.
The 26-year-old runner leaves the race as several difficult days loom in the Alps which, in normal times already, constitute a terrible obstacle for a runner as heavy as him.
“I am very sad to leave the Grande Boucle, because I had big goals for this race. I will take the time to recover and clear my head to hopefully bounce back for the rest of the season,” he added.
