Jumbo Visma has decided Dylan Groenewegen will not race again until the UCI disciplinary committee issues its verdict on the crash involving Fabio Jakobsen on stage 1 of the Tour de Pologne.
However, it said it was also supporting its riders through what was a mentally challenging period, and was supporting his family – Groenewegen’s wife is pregnant at present.
One of the best sprinters in the world, Groenewegen has given an interview on Dutch TV during which he was very upset and was in tears; clearly having been deeply impacted by what happened.
Groenewegen came off his line as he sprinted to victory
and also leaned into Jakobsen, causing the Deceuninck-QuickStep
to crash through the barriers and into a race official and scaffolding.
Jakobsen has suffered a litany of injuries, including to his head and face, and has already had surgery on the broken bones in his face.
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He was woken today from the medically induced coma he was in since the crash on Wednesday. And the medics in Poland have today reaffirmed their diagnosis that no spinal or brain damage occurred.
The crash was one of the worst seen in pro cycling in recent years and while Groenewegen was disqualified from the stage, and the win awarded to Jakobsen who fell as he crossed the line, Groenewegen also faces a UCI disciplinary investigation.
Jumbo Visma has now said it will not start Groenewegen in any more races until the verdict is handed down. However, as Groenewegen broke his collarbone in the crash, he was already out of action for a period.
"Let's be clear that I never intend to endanger other riders," Groenewegen told NOS.nl. "But this was clearly my fault. I deviated from my line and that is not allowed."
While Groenewegen came down in the crash, as the barriers bounced out into the road and into the riders, and he broke his collarbone he said his own injuries were irrelevant.
"I only thought about Fabio and his family
and I hope he recovers soon. I will not touch the bicycle for a while,” he
said.
The Dutch
rider added while the crash was over in an instant, he immediately knew it was
very bad.
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"It went so fast, the gates flew over the
road and I fell. You see a lot of havoc and hear things, those are not nice
things. You immediately saw that it was not very good.
"Then you actually hear right ... you immediately see his teammates around it and then you see that it is not the best. I can only hope for the best."
Jumbo-Visma has today issue a full statement, saying:
"We are shocked by the consequences of the crash. We hope for the best for Fabio Jakobsen.
“Our thoughts are with Fabio and we hope with all our
heart he will recover. We also hope and wish that the other people involved
will recover soon. We wish them all the best.
“The last two days we took the time to discuss this
situation internally and Team Jumbo-Visma found it important to first discuss
it with Dylan as well.
“Dylan is
devastated about what has happened and the, unintentional, severe consequences
for others involved in the crash. He feels very sorry,” the team statement
said.
“Dylan acknowledges that he made an incorrect move by
deviating from his line and that he has been correctly disqualified.
“Team Jumbo-Visma stands for fair sportsmanship, within
the rules. With his move Dylan broke a sports rule and that’s unacceptable.
“We have decided that Dylan will not start in a race
until the judgment of the disciplinary committee to which the UCI has handed
over the incident.
“We will support Dylan and his family as a team to come
through these (mentally) tough times for them. Some of the ways they are
approached are reprehensible.
“For now, the health and recovery of Fabio prevails. Our thoughts go out to Fabio Jakobsen and the other people involved in the terrible crash in the Tour of Poland.”
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