Fabio Jakobsen explains the situation surrounding possible Visma move: ‘Talks have been going on for quite a while’

The report that Fabio Jakobsen could be heading to Visma | Lease a Bike appeared almost out of nowhere, with the news first reported by WielerFlits. The Dutchman has now terminated his contract with Picnic PostNL and has spoken for the first time about a possible switch to the other Dutch WorldTour team, although he is not yet willing to confirm or deny that the move will happen.

“Unfortunately, it did not turn out the way we had hoped,” Jakobsen told AD about his time with Picnic PostNL, where he was never able to show his best form. The sprinter is still trying to understand exactly why things did not work out.

“It could be the after-effects of the iliac artery surgery. It could also be that I fell behind in training, or that I simply lacked the required level. It is difficult to identify one specific reason. But it is clear that my time with Picnic PostNL is now coming to an end,” the Dutchman explained.

“I do not know whether I will race again this year. There is a lot of work to be done. The past six months have not exactly been brilliant. They have actually been disappointing,” Jakobsen admitted with his customary honesty.

Asked about potentially joining Visma | Lease a Bike, the sprinter certainly did not dismiss the possibility. “It is a dream team, one of the best in the WorldTour. The talks have actually been going on for quite a while, but nothing has been signed yet.”

“The original plan was for 2027. Now, all of a sudden, there is an opportunity to make the move earlier. Visma are one of the teams,” the sprinter continued. “They see it as a project. We still have to reach an agreement, though. That is what we are working on.”