Fabio Jakobsen "dreamed of this for fifteen years" with Tour success

Fabio Jakobsen made his debut in the Tour de France yesterday, and today in his first opportunity to win he took no time to cross that off the list. The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team rider took the second consecutive win for the team with a very strong sprint that confirmed his place amongst the world's very best.

“It's been a long road. Many people have helped me along the way. This is to pay them back, to show that it wasn't in vain. I still love to race and luckily I can still win. What a fantastic day! This is for all the people who helped me come back", Jakobsen said after the finish. After the difficulties the Dutchman went through over the last few years, this win comes as a culmination of yet another incredible comeback story.

The day was very stressful with the threat of echelons hovering over the peloton. With some of the Quick-Step riders hitting the deck - including race leader Yves Lampaert - it was no easy run-in for the Belgian team, who were in numbers towards the final kilometer, however couldn't manage to get Jakobsen out of the wheels of the competition with the sprint in sight. “The team kept me up front. When we rode off the bridge it went left and right. The last straight I could stay with Morkov. He dropped me off in Wout van Aert's wheel," Jakobsen described. 

"In the last few hundred meters I was on the left, right next to Peter Sagan. We touched each other for a moment, but stayed upright. In the last 150 meters I was able to pass the last two," he added. The 25-year old didn't have the traditional support of the leadout with a pole-position into the sprint, however he nevertheless managed to sprint to the win. He overtook Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen to take his first Tour de France win.

“I am extremely happy with this win. It may sound easy, but my legs hurt. A stage in the Tour is what we trained for and what we race for. I've dreamed of this for fifteen years. It is the biggest western race in the world," he concluded.