Fabio Jakobsen added two wins to his 2023 abacus this week. The Dutch sprint bomb of Soudal-Quick Step dedicated his triumph in Brussels to Gino Mäder. Mathieu van der Poel looked back on a good week for the team.
After the sprint, Fabio Jakobsen raised his finger in the air, a tribute to Gino Mäder, who died this week. “This is the only thing we can still do for him. These last few days have not been easy for anyone, especially his family and friends. We will all miss him, just like Björg Lambrecht.”
“I remember Gino from the Vuelta where he won best young rider. Behind the scenes, he was a very friendly and pleasant guy.”
Thanks to the two wins in the Baloise Belgium Tour, Jakobsen’s tally stands at five victories in 2023 and he looks to be ready for the Tour de France. “I am very pleased with this week’s wins, but the Tour remains the big goal. My legs are getting better, now it is just a matter of showing up healthy at the start.”
Van der Poel: ‘Successful Week’
Mathieu van der Poel also had a successful dress rehearsal for the Tour de France. The Dutch Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was good for a stage win in Durbuy and the overall classification. Thanks to five top ten finishes, he also topped the points classification.
“It was a successful week”, said Van der Poel. “I needed the rhythm of the race, but I had also come to win the overall classification and I managed to do it. That is always a nice feeling. Both for myself and the team it was a successful week. The Tour will be of a different calibre, but I am in good shape.”
