Tom Dumoulin delivers harsh Fabio Jakobsen verdict - 'At this moment, he is not at the level required of a pro'

Jakobsen was eliminated from the French 2.Pro race after finishing outside the time limit on the race’s queen stage. The result added to growing concern around the Team Picnic PostNL rider, whose form has been far removed from the level that once made him one of the most feared finishers in the peloton.

Speaking on the NOS cycling podcast, Dumoulin said Jakobsen’s struggles can no longer be viewed as a temporary dip in form. The former pro pointed out that the problems have been visible for a long period, stretching across this season and much of last year.

Last year, there appeared to be a clear medical explanation. Jakobsen underwent surgery on both iliac arteries, a procedure that offered hope he might be able to return to his former speed and consistency. So far, that comeback has not materialised.

According to Dumoulin, the gap between Jakobsen’s past level and his current performances is now impossible to ignore.

“He is simply not moving forward anymore,” Dumoulin said. “That was already the case last year, although there seemed to be a reason for it then. He has had the operation, and now there does not appear to be an obvious obstacle preventing him from getting back to his old level. But he is nowhere close.”

Jakobsen’s decline is especially striking given his record of 46 professional victories. He is a former European champion, a five time Vuelta a España stage winner and a Tour de France stage winner. That Tour victory in Nyborg in 2022 was widely seen as one of the most beautiful and emotional moments in recent cycling history, coming after the horrific crash he suffered at the 2020 Tour de Pologne.

Since leaving Soudal Quick-Step in 2023, however, Jakobsen has struggled to rediscover the form that made him so successful in bunch sprints. His move to Team Picnic PostNL was expected to offer a fresh start, but the results have remained limited. He has taken just one victory since joining the team, at the Tour of Turkey in 2024, while the questions around his condition have only grown louder.

Dumoulin stressed that his criticism was not personal. He said he respects Jakobsen and hopes to see him continue if that is what the sprinter wants. But as an analyst, he said, the sporting reality is harsh.

“In fact, if he were racing at a lower level, among the elite amateurs, he probably still wouldn’t be getting to sprint finishes with this level,” Dumoulin said. “That is really sad. I like him and I like watching him as a sprinter. I don’t know him that well, but I think he is a nice guy. If he wants to stay professional, I sincerely hope he can.”

From a sporting perspective, however, Dumoulin was clear.

“At this moment, he is not at the level required of a professional rider,” Dumoulin said. “Maybe there is an illness or another explanation, but based on what we see now, it is hard to imagine a team signing him. He simply cannot cope with the demands of this level at the moment.”

The timing is especially damaging for Jakobsen’s Tour de France ambitions. The final stage in Mayenne could have offered him a rare sprint opportunity, but after missing the time cut he was unable to start. That outcome has made an already uncertain Tour de France selection look increasingly unlikely.

For Picnic PostNL, Jakobsen’s struggles are another problem the team could do without. The Dutch WorldTour squad has endured a difficult season so far, with its first victory only arriving deep into April through Casper van Uden. In the latest UCI ranking, the team sits just 29th, with as many as 11 ProTeams ahead of it and a sizeable gap to the rest of the WorldTour.