Stijn Steels provides his view on Fabio Jakobsen's transfer: "I'm not sure if it's the team for Fabio"

One of the biggest cycling transfers this summer is that from Fabio Jakobsen to DSM-Firmenich. The Dutch sprinter must become the sprint gun with which Iwan Spekenbrink's formation wants to chase victories, but not everyone is sure of the match. For example, Jakobsen's former teammate Stijn Steels expressed his doubts in the Eurosport podcast Kop over Kop.

Steels rode alongside Jakobsen at Soudal Quick-Step in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and therefore knows the Dutchman well. The Belgian stopped racing at the end of 2022 and is currently working as an analyst/co-commentator at Eurosport, where he gave his view on the transfer from Jakobsen to DSM-Firmenich. "I'm not sure how things will turn out at DSM-Firmenich. That team could use a sprinter and has been trying to set up a new sprint train for a while, but I'm not sure if it's the team for Fabio to start with."

"Then I mainly think of the structure. Fabio is someone who needs trust and also freedom. I've never ridden for DSM and of course I rely on outside stories, but I don't know if a team that they say has a strict protocol, with everything that goes with it, suits Fabio," he believes. On Tuesday it was announced that Harm Vanhoucke, a Belgian just like Steels, had had his contract with DSM-Firmenich terminated.

However, Steels also sees a possible positive side to the collaboration between Jakobsen and the Dutch team and therefore mentions it. "Conversely, a completely new framework can also lead to a relaunch. Fabio is in a slump for a moment. A new framework can provide renewed drive to look for that limit again," the former professional cyclist concludes.