9 month suspension for Dylan announced on Nov 11, that takes him to next May.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/fabio-jakobsen-talks-about-his-crash-for-the-first-time/


for those who haven't seen - this is an incredible read. fabio seems like a tremendous human being - not that this wasn't known at the time of the crash but wow. i really hope he heals to 100% and finds all the success in the world with what he has ahead of him.

Quality journalism and a quality interview.

And, as you state, quality human being. For a pretty boy, it's refreshing to read that what happened to his face barely registers on what he cares about.

It'll be interesting to see if he makes it all the way back, though I won't think any less of him if he doesn't.

It was great to read through this interview. I hope for everyone involved he gets back to the same level as he was, but I think it ends up playing out in courts anyway.

/me over 100 replies? That's because some assholes are defending Groenwegen's behavior, isn't it?

Read a few responses.

Yes. Yes it is.

This is a good point. I don't think it would be that hard to come up some kind of barrier that when hit a cyclist bounces off instead of crashing through. That may also help clean up sprinting tactics. If a cyclist know that if they put someone in the wall the there is a very good chance that they bounce and will both be taken out is a incentive not to do that.

Re. course and barrier design, many gnarly cyclocross descents are lined with airbags to lessen injury on impact. In contrast, Stage 1 of the Tour of Poland is a downhill sprint framed by quick-release metal "barriers."
Gross negligence on the part of the race organizers and the UCI.
This is the Pro Tour equivalent of a "Bag O' Glass."

I don't find it right now, but there were short clips comparing a "normal" fall against barriers with the Poland crash. The "normal" crash has the rider falling against the barrier, which stays where it is, and the rider "slides" further on down the road. Not through the barriers onto a road with a pillar, train tracks and concrete blocks as it seemed in Poland. So nothing needs to be invented. The UCI should simply enforce the organizers to use this decent equipment and stop being such idiots about it with fining the rider but ignoring all the other circumstances.

Great to see this story coming full circle with Jakobsen's performance today at the TdF!!!

+1000!

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Pretty cool having the yellow jersey as your leadout man! Everyone quickly forgot about Cavendish too

Cavendish knows a thing or two about having a yellow jersey leadout! (and by an actual GC guy, not a guy whose assigned role is leadout, like Lampaert).

Though this picture, not taken *that* long ago, makes it apparent how much cycling kit has changed in such a short time. So much baggy jersey.

I think Ullrich did this for Zabel several times in the 1997 TdF while in yellow and green and also in 1998 before he lost the yellow to Pantani (Galibier + Les Deux Alpes stage)

Both these boys from a couple of years ago take the sprinter stages. This is way better than Tour of Poland!

I was kinda hoping in his post-race interview he might acknowledge Jakobsen somehow, but maybe he did that adequately at some point? Not sure...

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Perhaps there are lawsuits still hanging in the background but I hope with both of the guys back in form and winning any legal brawls can diminished as they both accrue wins and $$$$ on the playing field. That has to help.

Between the two, I think Jakobsen has the more difficult road - it's not easy to forgive someone who almost got you killed, however unintentional it may have been

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Groenwegen got an illegal push by his teammate up the last climb today when the yellow jersey blew up the peleton....

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook