The first stage in the Tour of Poland 2020 yesterday was dominated by the memory of Bjorg Lambrecht, who died last year, but disaster struck again at the finish.
Dylan Groenewegen took Fabio Jakobsen to the right side of the road in lightning speed, catapulting his countryman into the fences – and against a judge who was taking a photo on the side. Jakobsen is now in the hospital, in an artificial coma. It is biting to wait and see how his situation evolves.
“Team doctor from Deceuninck-Quick Step Ivan Vanmol will soon personally ascertain the condition of the unfortunate Jakobsen. The organization is now relieved. They call the situation serious, but stable,” said cycling commentator Renaat Schotte this morning in De Oorning on Radio 1.
“Whether this is the most terrible fall I have seen in my life? I have unfortunately seen many crashes in the race. I saw Djamolidin Abdoesjaparov in the Tour de France in 1991 crashing his head hard against the cobbles. I thought that would be the end for him, but he has returned and has won a lot. I wish Fabio Jakobsen the same. “
In the sprint in Poland yesterday it went very fast. Some believe that a “kamikaze sprint” that only encourages danger.
Renaat Schotte: “It is an exceptional finish, with a” launched sprint “. There is a turn in the final kilometer, which makes the speed go up a bit, but after that it goes downhill, so you flirt with top speeds up to 80 km / h. That is Formula 1 by bicycle. “
“At that moment a small mistake is enough to bring about these conditions. What Groenewegen has done is of course not a small mistake, but a big mistake. Who knows, maybe the regulations will be adjusted after this incident and it will be done with” professionally out the door. close “in a sprint.”
Exactly a year after the death of Bjorg Lambrecht, this is an incident that cycling can miss as a toothache.
“The death of Bjorg Lambrecht and the commemoration of it makes a big impression on me”, concludes Renaat Schotte. “Cycling is a very risky sport. I was still in Siena on Saturday, where Wout van Aert stormed the sky in the Strade Bianche, and a few days later I am in the cycling hell of Katowice.”
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