The image went around the world.
Wednesday August 5, 2020, massive sprint at the finish of the 1st stage of the Tour of Poland.
Launched at more than 80 km / h, the Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma) “swings” his compatriot Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-Quick Step) in the barriers.
And even beyond.
A very bad reflex which plunges its rival into two days of coma (multiple fractures of the skull, broken jaw, crushed trachea, 130 stitches in the face, etc.). After having come close to death, Jakobsen will find himself disfigured for life. The unconscious Groenewegen, he received an open fracture of the collarbone and nine months of suspension for his gesture.
For his return to the peloton on the occasion of the Giro, which begins this Saturday, he returned to the facts and their consequences at length in Team Magazine.
“Since Fabio (Jakobsen) returned to the peloton
(Editor's note: Tour of Turkey, early April)
, things are better, he explains.
The first weeks after the accident, I had completely lost my taste, I no longer had any interest in my sport.
I couldn't even look at my bike in the garage.
I thought of dropping everything… ”
The sprinter struggles to drive out his Polish demons.
“Even today, if a car gets too close to me during training, or if I hear a very loud noise when I'm on my bike, I get scared,” he says.
The scene and the sounds of the sprint immediately come to mind.
"
The runner, who points to a breach of security conditions, also had to manage the threats. “I wasn't just threatened on social media,” he says. After the accident, I received very disturbing letters at home, and the police felt it was wiser for me to be in protection for a while. What is beyond me is that certain threats were not targeting me only, but also my girlfriend, who was pregnant
(Editor's note: she gave birth to their first child on January 2)
, or my parents, while they were not 'have nothing to do with this story. This is what was the most difficult to take. "
As he prepares to get back in the saddle with his fellows, Groenewegen does not want to resolve to a frank mea culpa.
“I know I didn't keep my line,” he concedes.
I accepted my suspension, I have no opinion to express on this subject.
I just hope that the organizers will help to ensure that this kind of accident never happens again, and if it does not, that the culprit receives the same sanction as me.
"
Jakobsen: "Dylan did not offer a personal apology"
At the end of March, he met his victim in Amsterdam.
"I was relieved to see that he was doing better," he breathes.
I realize that his return to the top level will take a long time, but that's all I wish him, that he becomes as strong as before.
"
Jakobsen did not appreciate that his rival spoke about their meeting in several media. Already because what is presented as a tête-à-tête, supposed to be confidential, was surrounded by legal teams from both parties responsible for shedding light on the accident and discussing compensation.
"I was surprised to read Dylan Groenewegen's statements following our meeting," Jakobsen tweeted. I'm disappointed that Dylan spoke openly about our meeting, I won't. I want to make the following clear: Dylan has not offered a personal apology or shown a willingness to take responsibility for his actions. I always want to come to an agreement, but it takes two to achieve it. Further action is currently being taken by my legal team and for this reason I will not be able to comment further. "Between the two men, the wound is far from being closed ...
