- Alumni
- /
- Fabio Jakobsen
Fabio Jakobsen
31/12/2017
Who?
Fabio Jakobsen, talented bike rider raised in Heukelum. Fabio joined the team as a first year U23 with the dream of joining the WorldTour one day. Three years and 13 wins later signed for Quick-Step Floors team.
Fabio Jakobsen, talented bike rider raised in Heukelum. Fabio joined the team as a first year U23 with the dream of joining the WorldTour one day. Three years and 13 wins later signed for Quick-Step Floors team.
What about him?
Fabio was part of the first ever Academy roster in 2015 after shining in his last year as a Junior, during which he seized a total of 13 wins. Moving to the U23 ranks with an already impressive tally didn’t make him stop working hard and chasing his dream of reaching the WorldTour.
Fabio was part of the first ever Academy roster in 2015 after shining in his last year as a Junior, during which he seized a total of 13 wins. Moving to the U23 ranks with an already impressive tally didn’t make him stop working hard and chasing his dream of reaching the WorldTour.
How did he perform?
He showed his talent from the very first season at the Academy as he finished second in the U23 National Championships. The following year, Fabio found that extra push and stepped to the top of the podium to be crowned as national champion. In the same year, he would be the fastest to cross the line in Nations Cup’s ZLM Tour and Koga Slag om Norg. He had already shown that he was very talented when it came to riding bikes, but it was during the 2017 season that Fabio became the man to beat. He secured nine stage wins, including victories at Tour de l’Avenir, Tour d’Alsace, Tour de Normandie and back-to-back stages at the Olympia’s Tour. Plus, he became the first rider to ever win the U23 Dutch RR Nationals two years in a row.
He showed his talent from the very first season at the Academy as he finished second in the U23 National Championships. The following year, Fabio found that extra push and stepped to the top of the podium to be crowned as national champion. In the same year, he would be the fastest to cross the line in Nations Cup’s ZLM Tour and Koga Slag om Norg. He had already shown that he was very talented when it came to riding bikes, but it was during the 2017 season that Fabio became the man to beat. He secured nine stage wins, including victories at Tour de l’Avenir, Tour d’Alsace, Tour de Normandie and back-to-back stages at the Olympia’s Tour. Plus, he became the first rider to ever win the U23 Dutch RR Nationals two years in a row.
What was next after the Academy?
Several WorldTour teams showed interest in Fabio in 2016. However, the talented Dutchman decided to stay one more year as U23 so he could make the difference. Because of his impressive performances, week in, week out, during the 2017 season it became clear that it was only a matter of time until Fabio signed with a big team. Once Quick-Step Floors came with a two-year deal, the choice was pretty clear and the dream turned into reality. The sacrifice to stay one more year focussing on his development paid off pretty quickly as Jakobsen seized a total of seven wins in his first year in the WorldTour, and seven more in his second one such as two stage wins in his first-ever Grand Tour (the 2019 Vuelta a España) and the Elite Dutch Road Race title. His progression kept coming along in 2020, but a really bad crash in the Tour of Poland forced him to be out of the racing scene for several months and undergo a taxing recovery process. However, Fabio showed his character and strength, and not only did he come back, but quickly he showed his best version, finishing the season with seven victories including a hat-trick of wins at La Vuelta. The 2022 season has been yet another step up for Fabio as he is turning into one of the best sprinters in the world. During this period he is writing Academy history by becoming our first-ever Alumni to win a stage at the Tour de France and to become European Road Race Champion.
Several WorldTour teams showed interest in Fabio in 2016. However, the talented Dutchman decided to stay one more year as U23 so he could make the difference. Because of his impressive performances, week in, week out, during the 2017 season it became clear that it was only a matter of time until Fabio signed with a big team. Once Quick-Step Floors came with a two-year deal, the choice was pretty clear and the dream turned into reality. The sacrifice to stay one more year focussing on his development paid off pretty quickly as Jakobsen seized a total of seven wins in his first year in the WorldTour, and seven more in his second one such as two stage wins in his first-ever Grand Tour (the 2019 Vuelta a España) and the Elite Dutch Road Race title. His progression kept coming along in 2020, but a really bad crash in the Tour of Poland forced him to be out of the racing scene for several months and undergo a taxing recovery process. However, Fabio showed his character and strength, and not only did he come back, but quickly he showed his best version, finishing the season with seven victories including a hat-trick of wins at La Vuelta. The 2022 season has been yet another step up for Fabio as he is turning into one of the best sprinters in the world. During this period he is writing Academy history by becoming our first-ever Alumni to win a stage at the Tour de France and to become European Road Race Champion.
