Fabio Jakobsen is not in the business of excuses. From prolific sprinter at SoudalβQuick-Step for six seasons, winner of 45 races, to a rider often spat out the back before the sprint trains even formed. It was a dramatic cliff jump from one of the fastest men on two wheels, to a hanger-on gasping for air in the gruppetto.
It was definitely not my most fun year on the bike but I learned a lot. Aged 27, when he joined his new team, and with no apparent ongoing physical or mental repercussions from his incident, all seemed set for Jakobsen to lead DSM into a new era as one of the foremost sprint teams.
What went wrong? The principal factor was changes in his training, a point he raised at various intervals throughout My problem is getting to the end of the race. So that means more endurance rides, intervals, more general all-round training. So instead of emphasising more on the strength in a sprint, [he has to focus] on getting the hours in, making sure that I still have a decent level at the end of a race and that I can still do a good sprint.
I think here and there we made a few mistakes. And if you only race at the highest level, you pay a price if you make those mistakes. You finish sixth or even 50th. In bike racing, experience is important. Reading a final, getting used to each other, remaining calm, knowing what to do. Picnic PostNL are famed for having a rigid framework within which they work: it works for some, not for others.
Has Jakobsen been able to air his concerns? No elite sportsperson enjoys a torrid season like Jakobsen had, but few are able to put it into perspective like he can. What are we going to adapt? Providing the problems are fixed and Jakobsen is competing with Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan at the sharp end of sprints, there is a major prize to be won this July.
