“Here in the Giro it is certainly possible to win" - Fabio Jakobsen optimistic despite tough opposition in Giro d'Italia's first sprint

Having recently tasted victory for the first time since moving to Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL at the Tour of Turkey, Fabio Jakobsen is confident he will be able to compete for the win, as the 2024 Giro d'Italia allows the sprinters a first opportunity for glory on stage 3.

"The feeling is very good,” previews the 27-year-old Dutch powerhouse in conversation with Wielerflits. “The preparation went well, but of course the Tour of Turkey is not the Giro. We have a lot of confidence, we know that as a team we belong in the Giro and I hope that Turkey has ensured that I have taken that next step in terms of my level of form.”

A six-time Grand Tour stage winner over the years, Jakobsen has pedigree in the biggest race so understandably is confident despite the elite field of sprinters at this year's Giro. “Here in the Giro it is certainly possible to win stages. And if there are several competitors, those victories count even more. The top 10 will always look good and a victory really counts and I am confident that we can set up a good train," he explains, with Tobias Lund Andresen his most notable teammate. “He is 10 kilograms lighter than me, so he will survive more finals. When I am released, he will get a chance and he can show himself. That's good for him. As a lead-out he is very fast and valuable, especially in pure sprints when it comes to high top speed and power for me."

“Sprinters are worth more these days. Many teams want to take a sprinter and a train to competitions. In sprints, success is there for the taking, provided the sprinter is in shape,” Jakobsen insists. “In this Giro there are several opportunities for bunch sprints, and I see that the number of sprinters who can win such stages is also growing. Because there are more sprinters, the stage victories become more valuable. This shows that sprinters are appreciated by teams, sponsors and the media. It is good for the sport that there is that fight. That also means that the finals will be busier.”