"Evenepoel deserves a full Tour team" - Fabio Jakobsen casts doubt on 2024 Tour de France presence

With there having been plenty of speculation in recent weeks over the potential selection of Remco Evenepoel in Soudal - Quick-Step's Tour de France lineup and what that may mean for the teams sprint pair of Fabio Jakobsen and Tim Merlier, Jakobsen seems resigned to the fact he won't be going to Paris.

"Remco deserves a full Tour team built around him, and that also applies to Tim Merlier and myself," Jakobsen tells De Telegraaf. “I understand what Patrick Lefevere means when he says that both focusing on the sprints and a classification is no longer feasible." Whilst Evenepoel is riding the Giro d'Italia this year, 2024 will most likely see his Tour de France debut, and the Belgian team will have to focus around his chances.

Jakobsen, who's contract with Soudal - Quick-Step comes to an end at the conclusion of the 2023 season knows he needs result in order to assure himself of getting a renewal. “The talks about that are going on now, and we have to see how that goes."

"I am not Wout van Aert who can fulfill the role of domestique for the classification men at Jumbo, win sprints and is also very strong in time trials," he continues. "It would be nice if I got one or two men with me and Remco three or four. First the focus is on this Tour, but I know the situation could be different next year."