Fabio Jakobsen faces Tom Dumoulin after harsh criticism and reveals plans for his future
CyclingSunday, 12 July 2026 at 09:52
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Follow us on GoogleFabio Jakobsen normally expects to leave Picnic PostNL after the 2026 season, he revealed on Saturday evening during De Avondetappe. The 29-year-old sprinter’s contract with the Dutch team expires at the end of the year, and Jakobsen is not counting on an extension. He appeared on the programme alongside Tom Dumoulin, who had recently been highly critical of him.
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When Jakobsen finished outside the time limit at the Boucles de la Mayenne in May, Dumoulin described his situation as “sad.” The former Giro d’Italia winner added: “Even if he were racing at a lower level among elite or under-23 riders right now, he still would not make it to the sprint.” Dumoulin also said: “He is absolutely no longer at a professional level at the moment.”
Jakobsen responded forcefully on the In Het Peloton podcast. He questioned the insight of Dumoulin and fellow critic Thomas Dekker. “That does bring out anger and aggression in me. Where do you draw the line between providing analysis and practising journalism?” Jakobsen said. He would have preferred Dumoulin to call him first, explaining: “You do not know the full story.”
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Fabio Jakobsen
Jakobsen wants to continue as a sprinter for several more years
Jakobsen and Dumoulin sat together at the table on Saturday evening, and the sprinter’s current form was inevitably discussed. “The sprint is definitely still there, because I can still reproduce it in training. The problem is that I have to get to the sprint, and that comes after four or five hours of hard racing. I need to rebuild that ability, and I believe one hundred per cent that I can return to my old level.”
“I think that will still be enough to be competitive,” Jakobsen said. “I saw the average speed of today’s stage, and I can match that when it comes to top speed in the sprint. It is not as though they are suddenly sprinting at 76 or 80 kilometres per hour. I can reach 70 kilometres per hour, but I cannot do it yet after a difficult race. That is the level I need to get back to, and it simply takes time.”
“I am naturally an explosive type of rider, and I have to work hard on every other aspect. That is what I am doing. I am an eternal optimist, so even if it ultimately does not work out, I still believe one hundred per cent that it will,” a smiling Jakobsen said. He wants to remain in the sport for several more years. “I am 29 and I am not ready to retire from cycling, so I hope to continue for at least another five years.”
“I think 35 is an age you should be able to reach as a sprinter.” Jakobsen does not, however, expect to reach that age while riding for Picnic PostNL. “I still have six months left with this team, but the past two and a half years have not been what we expected. I do not expect my contract to be extended or that I will be allowed to stay.”
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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