Fabio Jakobsen reflects on a difficult first season with Team dsm-firmenich PostNL and sets sights on 2025 goals: "I feel responsible for the position I'm in"
Cycling
After a challenging debut season with Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL, Fabio Jakobsen has reflected on his struggles and the work required to return to winning ways in 2025. The Dutch sprinter endured a frustrating year, failing to secure a stage victory at either the Giro d’Italia or the Tour de France, with early withdrawals from both races.
In an interview with Daniel Benson, Jakobsen candidly addressed the season and expressed his determination to improve, saying, "I feel responsible for the position I'm in, yes. I'm the finisher, so I want to be the guy who can finish the job. I've done that in the past, and I want to do that again in the future. The work I have to do started in November, and I'll keep working until March and then until the Tour de France. Because I think that's the big goal again. In between, we have to make steps and improve."
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Jakobsen’s struggles were evident throughout the season as he sought to adapt to new surroundings and the expectations that came with joining the team. While he remained motivated, he admitted the year did not meet his or the team’s expectations.
"I'm motivated. This year was a bit less, but with a new team you always have to adapt and find your way. I think we expected more, but it wasn't like I was far off. We just wanted to take it one step further and compete for victory everywhere instead of just chasing results."
The transition to Team dsm-firmenich PostNL brought its own challenges, including adjustments to training routines and equipment. Jakobsen acknowledged that even minor issues can have a significant impact at the sport's elite level.
"You have to get used to the new training schedule and the equipment. I had some minor setbacks, and in top-level sport they can be quite big. But I also think that the sport has progressed, and everyone has improved. I also have to improve, especially here, where there is less experience and more young guys. Things went a bit better at the end of the year, but as I said, we can still make progress."
Looking back at specific moments in the season, Jakobsen identified the UAE Tour as an early indicator of his struggles. While his performances were “okay,” they were not enough to deliver wins. The Giro d’Italia, however, proved to be a particularly challenging race where he failed to contest the final sprints.
"This year we knew the start a bit. I was okay in the UAE Tour but not good enough to win. I had a few races where I was reasonable but I still didn't win. I was almost at the front but I couldn't get there, especially in the Giro where I wasn't as good. I was always the first to go and I was never really in the finals for the win. That's something I need to work on."
Despite these setbacks, Jakobsen highlighted a positive shift in his form during the weeks leading up to the Tour de France. Focused training and adjustments to his preparation helped him come closer to competing at the front, providing a glimmer of hope for the future.
"Between the Giro and the Tour I made a step forward. I was very focused for six weeks, changed my training approach and lost a bit of weight. I was closer in the Tour, but I want to continue that trend next year."
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