“I still believe 100 percent that I can get back to my old level”: Fabio Jakobsen admits underestimating major leg surgery but completely rules out hanging up his wheels

Fabio Jakobsen insists he has no intention of retiring from professional cycling, despite admitting that his recovery from surgery has taken much longer than expected. The Dutch sprinter, whose contract with Team Picnic PostNL expires at the end of the season, still believes he can return to the level that once made him one of the fastest riders in the peloton.

Jakobsen underwent surgery last year to correct narrowed iliac arteries, a procedure that has so far failed to deliver the immediate return to form he had hoped for. Speaking on Dutch television programme De Avondetappe, the 29-year-old admitted he underestimated how much the operation would set him back.

"I've had two follow-up checks where they measured the blood pressure in both legs, and everything was exactly as it should be," Jakobsen explained. "But I underestimated how much the surgery would affect me. I'm gradually getting better, but it's taking longer than I expected. There are probably still a few more months of work ahead before I can compete with the best again."

Jakobsen also addressed recent comments made by former Giro d'Italia winner Tom Dumoulin, who suggested after Jakobsen's withdrawal from Boucles de la Mayenne that the sprinter was no longer at the level required to compete professionally.

"He has had surgery and now there seems to be nothing standing in the way of him reaching his old level. But he is nowhere near it. And then I also have to be brutally honest. At the moment, he is nowhere near a professional-worthy level. Maybe he has a virus, but right now no team would sign him, because he cannot cope with the level," Dumoulin said back in June.

"That did affect me," Jakobsen admitted. "We've sorted it out without any black eyes. We spoke on the phone, but sometimes Tom could express things a bit more kindly."

The Dutchman stressed that his family has helped him keep everything in perspective. "At home everything is fine, and that's the most important thing. Thor [Jakobsen's newborn son] is healthy, he's sleeping well and drinking well, and his mother is doing well too. I couldn't ask for more."

Although Jakobsen would have preferred to be racing at this year's Tour de France, his priority remains completing his recovery before thinking about results. He acknowledged that his future with Picnic PostNL looks uncertain, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season.

"I still really enjoy cycling," he said. "In training I can reproduce my sprint efforts, but racing is different because you've already done four or five hard hours before you need to sprint. I still believe 100 percent that I can get back to my old level."

Jakobsen also appears realistic about his situation within his current team. "I've got another six months with this team. The past few years haven't turned out the way either of us expected, so I don't think my contract will be renewed."

Despite that, retirement is not something he is considering, not yet at least. "I definitely don't want to retire from cycling. I hope to race for at least another five seasons, and maybe even a few more after that."