Fabio Jakobsen is a pure sprinter, someone who has always played with speed, but now the light has gone out again and he has been forced to stop due to a problem with his pelvic arteries.

The Dutchman, in 2020, had a dramatic accident during the Tour of Poland, when he crashed into the barriers during the sprint. At that time, his life was in danger, and after days of pharmacological coma, Jakobsen returned to life and, after months of rehabilitation with many doubts, returned to racing. The Dutchman managed to win again and then last year moved from Soudal-Quick Step to Team PicNic PostNL to start a new adventure. This season he started with great motivation and positivity, obtaining a sixth and fifth place at the UAE Tour, where the world's best sprinters were present; hope was growing, but at the same time Jakobsen showed he no longer had the necessary strength to aim for victory. "That extra gear I had before is no longer there" - Jakobsen said, telling his story - "I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't find the origin of that discomfort".

After much frustration, the cause was identified: a fold in both pelvic arteries, like a garden hose bent in half. During intense efforts, his legs would fill with lactic acid because little blood and therefore little oxygen was being pumped into his legs. "What happened to me has nothing to do with that accident in Poland. It's an occupational disease and it can happen to anyone. I'm very relieved that it was diagnosed and that something can be done about it".

Jakobsen has been operated on, but the Dutch champion's body is very worn out: his recovery will be extremely challenging, and it's not easy to predict how and when he will return to racing.

Jakobsen is used to everything, but a hospital bed is dramatic for someone who was considered one of the most powerful and fearless sprinters on the planet. "Life is strange, you go in to have such an operation in top form. Then you spend a night in intensive care and come out feeling terrible. They cut my abdominal muscles from top to bottom. So I was opened vertically to reach both arteries. Once the procedure was completed, the abdomen needs to be closed, and that's where I feel more pain; my legs don't bother me that much".

There are several techniques for this type of procedure, but Jakobsen's issue forced doctors to choose the most invasive intervention, with heavy aftermath.

"The surgeon was very satisfied with the operation, but rehabilitation will be very long, at least eight to twelve weeks. With my abdomen in this state and these arteries, I'll have to rest for at least four weeks. I'm allowed to walk with a light step and nothing else".

Jakobsen cannot indicate an exact date for his return to the group, but he is secretly calculating when he will return this season. He certainly won't be seen at the Tour de France in July, and his return might come in August or September. "Physical form is lost quite quickly, but the advantage is that at 28 I'm still young and can recover quickly. In four weeks, I'll have to go back for the first check-up to see if everything is okay with the vessels and the abdomen. Only after the visit can we develop a rehabilitation plan".

The Dutchman has achieved 46 victories in his career, with the last one in April of last year, but having resolved the physical issue, he hopes to be competitive again, with the hope of returning to being the fastest in sprints. "If the check-up goes well, maybe I can start cycling two or three hours a week. Now I'm very sad, but unfortunately injuries are part of high-level sports, and I know what it means to work to come back. My growth curve has stopped due to this injury. If my entire body starts functioning correctly again and I have no setbacks, I can continue to grow as a cyclist for a few more years and hope to be competitive until I'm 35".