Visma confident in Fabio Jakoben at Tour of Guangxi as good result eludes him - "Fabio got boxed in during the closing stages"
Cycling
Team Visma | Lease a Bike sprinter Fabio Jakobsen took a 16th place finish in his return to the WorldTour at the Tour of Guangxi on Tuesday. But the modest finish among the sprint contenders doesn't reflect their confidence in the Dutch sprinter.
After a disappointing 18 months with injuries and illness, Jakobsen left Picnic PostNL as he later joined Visma in hopes of re-igniting his career and reaching the highest level once again. The former Tour de France and Giro d'Italia stage winner last tasted victory at the 2024 Tour of Turkey and hasn't tasted WorldTour success since the 2023 Tirreno Adriatico.
Visma committed to guiding the 30-year-old to the front in the final kilometres in China. After a dangerous three-rider breakaway was brought back inside the final ten kilometres, the Dutch team were active at the front amongst the lead-outs.
However, Paul Magnier was the strongest of the sprinters as Jakobsen appeared to stop his sprint in the final metres, finishing in 16th place. According to the team, he was boxed in and couldn't give his all in the race to the line.
Fabio Jakobsen after winning a European title
Visma confident in Jakobsen despite 16th in opening stage
“A good result eluded us today, but it was great to see that everyone gave it their all,” team manager Gaëtan Pons said in a statement.
“The guys did a great job in the final to set Fabio up in a good position for the sprint. Unfortunately, Fabio got boxed in during the closing stages, meaning he couldn't join the sprint. Fabio and his teammates showed their strength in the finale. That gives us confidence for the upcoming sprints.”
Although the team remain confident in Jakobsen's potential over the coming stages, their focus is set to switch to general classification as they back Louis Barré - who made his return at Il Lombardia over the weekend.
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The 26-year-old French rider finished fourth at the Tour de Pologne and second at the Deutchland Tour in August in an impressive run of form. He also took stage victories at the races.
Pons added: “Over the coming week, we will also focus on the general classification. Louis Barré returned to competition in Lombardy feeling good.
"Earlier this season, he already showed what he is capable of. We hope he can compete for a good final ranking. Several tough stages await in the final weekend.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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