‘The most remarkable thing’ – Fabio Jakobsen stirring comeback shows he is made of ‘stronger stuff’

Fabio Jakobsen earned glowing praise on The Breakaway after storming to a “truly incredible” victory on Stage 2 of the Tour de France, nearly two years after a horrific crash which left him fighting for his life.

The Dutchman prevailed after a testing stage involving crashes, crosswinds and a dramatic sprint to the line where he showed bravery and determination to put himself in the firing line; his courage was truly rewarded and the jubilation was clear to see as he crossed the finish line with arms aloft.

Jakobsen is extremely grateful to be competing in his first Tour de France at the age of 25, perhaps more thankful for his involvement than any other rider, in light of the horrific crash the Dutchman suffered during Stage 1 of the 2020 Tour of Poland. During the sprint finish, he collided with the race barriers and a nearby race official. His injuries included a brain contusion, fractured skull and a lung contusion and his condition was so severe that he was placed into a medically-induced coma.

Remarkably, the Dutch rider has performed an inspirational recovery and returned to the peloton to reclaim his place among the biggest and the best in the sport. His victory in Stage 2 at the Tour de France showed physical and mental resilience of the highest calibre, leaving Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl with two wins from two at this Grand Tour.

Speaking during The Breakaway on Eurosport, Adam Blythe attempted to put into words the miraculous recovery and return that Jakobsen has made – from nearly losing his life to winning a stage at his maiden Tour.

“It’s truly incredible,” Blythe said. “I don’t think there are any words that can truly put it into perspective. What he has done, it’s incredible. I mean, being in an induced coma, not knowing if you’re going to live or not, and then being at the Tour de France two years later, winning the second stage in your first ever Tour de France – it is truly amazing.”

Echoing Blythe’s sentiments, fellow analyst Dan Lloyd commended Jakobsen’s bravery and willingness to put himself in dangerous positions; a level of courage that reaped its rewards on the Danish roads.

“The most remarkable thing for me is that he is still willing to go into those bunches,” Lloyd said. “Robbie and Adam will tell you more than anyone else in the world how incredibly dangerous and hectic they are.

“I just thought in his head the thought of going through something similar again might prevent him from taking those risks, or at least dabbing the brakes more than most sprinters have to do. I don’t know how he’s found the mental fortitude to get where he is now but he’s obviously made of stronger stuff than most people.”

On Sunday, the riders will embark on Stage 3 which sees their brief excursion around Denmark come to a close. They will travel 182km from Vejle to Sonderborg with Belgian Wout van Aert dawning the yellow jersey, while Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl will be looking to make it a hat-trick of stage victories before they cross into France.

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