Two years after a near fatal cycling crash, Fabio Jakobsen won Stage 2 of the Tour de France on Saturday, vindicating his Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team’s decision to select him ahead of veteran Mark Cavendish.
Jakobsen edged Jumbo-Visma’s Wout van Aert, who took the overall leader’s yellow jersey after the 202.2km run from Roskilde to Nyborg in Denmark that included a treacherous crossing of the 18km-long Great Belt Bridge.
Dutch rider Jakobsen’s win means Quick-Step have two victories in as many days, after they chose against picking the 37-year-old Cavendish, a 34-time stage winner on the race.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“Cavendish is a legend, I wish we both could have been here,” Jakobsen said.
“He helped me get a deal and I’m sure he enjoyed my win,” he added.
Jakobsen, 25, suffered a life-threatening crash at the Tour of Poland in 2020, but has recovered to become one of the most feared sprinters in road cycling as he embarks on his first Tour de France.
“It’s been a long road for me to get here, if only you knew,” said Jakobsen, who lost all his teeth and underwent 5 hours of surgery the day he crashed over barriers into a metal post.
“It’s like a second life,” Jakobsen said. “Those who know me understand the sacrifices I had to make. So today I really am very happy.”
“The crash made me more humble, I gave a lot for this, I’m happy but above all grateful and happy for the fans here in Denmark and at home too... I’ll remember today forever,” he said.
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