Fabio Jakobsen has given an update on his recovery from his career-threatening crash at the Tour de Pologne, posting a photo of himself to social media for the first time since the race.
The Deceuninck-QuickStep sprinter suffered severe facial injuries when he crashed into the barriers on stage 1 of the race after Jumbo-Visma's Dylan Groenewegen had manoeuvred into him, and he has since undergone several reconstructive surgeries.
At the start of the month, Jakobsen said he hoped to get back on the bike before December and he has met that goal. On Tuesday afternoon, he posted a photo of himself and partner Delores Tougje posing with their bikes during a ride.
"Back on the bike together with Delores Tougje on our new Specialized Tarmac SL7!" he said. "It has been quite a journey so far.
"With this post I would like to thank all the medical specialists that have helped me along the way. Same goes for Deceuninck-QuickStep and all the sponsors of my team for the support in my rehabilitation process."
Jakobsen is set to undergo another surgery in January and is planning to return to training over the next few months, he said.
"Already looking forward to my next surgery in January. In the meantime, I will slowly start training again."
Jakobsen is well on the road to recovery after the crash, but Groenewegen will be out of cycling until May 2021 after the UCI's Disciplinary Commission took the decision to hand down a retroactive nine-month ban.
The decision was taken earlier this month, though Deceueninck-QuickStep appear to be pushing ahead with legal action against the Dutchman. Team boss Patrick Lefevere said earlier this month that the move, in conjunction with insurer Europ Assistance, will go ahead in the Polish courts.
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