Fabio Jakobsen's 2020 crash at the Tour de Pologne remains one of the main arguments for safety in bunch sprints. Many race organizers make the effort to avoid situations like that in Poland, and Jakobsen himself believes the sprints are getting safer.
"There's always fear. If you don't have fear, then you're just reckless, or you're stupid," Jakobsen said in a recent interview. "Sprinting, and cycling in general, is dangerous. We all crash, we all have moments where we experience fear, but they're the moments where you can even be careful, cautious, and make sure you stay on the bike. It's also where you show a bit of courage, where you can overcome that fear," he argues.
The Dutchman won 13 race this year including the European championships and a stage at the Tour de France. His return to the peloton, then top form, and eventually his best legs into becoming a world best at sprinting were nothing but incredible. However all of that may have taken place due to the severity of his injuries in 2020, where he suffered many facial fractures and lost most of his teeth when crashing against the barriers at a high-speed bunch sprint.
"I don't think it has gotten more dangerous. After what happened with me, most riders at least know now what can happen if it goes wrong. I think finishes are getting a little bit safer," he believes. "Not all of them. As a sprinter, I would always prefer a last straight line of 400-500 metres, without any slight bends, so that it's clear: one straight line to the finish."
"I have the impression the sprinters watch out a little better - at least I do. I'm a bit more careful. Winning a bike race is nice, but I don't want to end up on the tarmac for a race win," he says.
Although some races still come under criticism due to their lack of security, overall organizers, riders and fans have been more strict when it comes to this point. Throughout the 2022 season it was visible in the main races that the bunch sprints had become less technical.
"You could say I became 10 years wiser in one year. I don't feel older but I've got a different outlook on life. I still love cycling and enjoy racing but there's so much more, and right now I'm experiencing a lot more balance in life," he explains. "OK, cycling is still big but family, friends, my wife... they're even bigger than that. I try to combine the two and be happy.
"I still would prefer not to have had the crash but there are some positive things coming from it. I try to look at it like that. I think I dealt with it quite well, and I'm sitting here happy," the European champion states.
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