The Dutch cyclist Fabio Jakobsen will require “multiple facial surgeries” after his crash at the Tour of Poland, but says he is “glad to be alive”.
The Deceuninck Quick Step rider was involved in a horrifying crash during a sprint finish two weeks ago.
He was pitched through a barrier and into spectators following a tangle with Jumbo-Visma’s Dylan Groenewegen.
The 23-year-old was taken to hospital where surgeons operated for five hours to give him “a chance to live”.
“It was a difficult, dark period for me in the ICU, where I was afraid of not surviving,” added Jakobsen in a statement released by his team.
Jakobsen’s Dutch compatriot Groenewegen, who caused the crash, was suspended by his Jumbo-Visma team pending the outcome of a disciplinary by the UCI, cycling’s governing body.
-BBC
