“It does hurt” - Fabio Jakobsen ruled out of Tour de France and Vuelta as nightmare season continues

Fabio Jakobsen's 2025 campaign has gone from bad to worse. The Team Picnic PostNL sprinter has not raced since March and remains winless for over 14 months, with his last victory dating back to April 2024. Hopes of a summer revival have now been dashed, as the Dutchman has been ruled out of both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.

Jakobsen underwent surgery in early April to correct a pinched femoral artery in both legs, a procedure that has significantly disrupted his preparations for the summer. While the operation was deemed a success, the recovery process has proven too lengthy for the 28-year-old to be ready for a Grand Tour this summer.

“Fabio has had a successful operation and he is recovering well so far. After the necessary rest period, he was able to start with short indoor sessions at low intensity, and we have gradually built that up. In the past period he was able to ride outside again occasionally, which is positive, but not yet at the level required for a three-week Grand Tour,” explained team doctor Camiel Aldershof.

Jakobsen himself admitted that the writing had been on the wall, even if he was hoping for a late turnaround. “It's a shame, because you dream of the Tour. I partly saw it coming, but today it was dealt a blow. I think it's the most sensible choice with a view to the future, but it does hurt a little bit.”

He also confirmed to NOS that the Vuelta is off the table. “I dreamed of the Vuelta, but I was advised against it. After that, you still have the Tour of the Netherlands and the Tour of Guangxi in China. I want to compete for the win again in September or October, and in August I hope to ride some competitive kilometers.”

Jakobsen remains optimistic, however, that his fortunes will improve later in the year. “The worst is now behind us and everything is going in a straight line upwards.”

The news is another blow for Picnic PostNL, who will also be without John Degenkolb at the Tour. Degenkolb crashed heavily at the Tour of Flanders in early April, breaking his collarbone, elbow, and wrist. According to Aldershof, the German will undergo another operation to remove the fasteners used in his initial recovery, ruling out a July return.

“A follow-up operation is planned to remove the fasteners that speed up his recovery. As a result, he is not ready for a comeback in early July. After that, we will slowly build it up with indoor training, and only later with outdoor rides and training intensity,” Aldershof said.