The Dutch cyclist Fabio Jakobsen came out of the coma two days after his violent fall at the arrival of the first stage of the Tour of Poland in Katowice, and could return home soon, organizers announced Friday.
‘We have good news from the Sosnowiec hospital. Fabio Jakobsen has woken up from a coma. Your condition is good“The organizers said on Twitter. «The patient is conscious, responds to stimuli, breathes by himself, the tension is normal. Today we are very happy, ”Pawel Gruenpeter, deputy director of the Sosnowiec hospital, told the Polish press.
He also added that the runner must follow a medical rehabilitation before you return home. “From the cerebral point of view, everything is in order. (…) The cosmetic surgeon did not find skin loss. (…) We hope you can return home soon, in good condition. At the moment we are talking about two weeks, then we will decide, “said the doctor.
“If you have survived such a fall, you will surely return to sport,” he said in response to a question from a journalist. «I asked him if he spoke English, he answered with his head that he did, then he responded to all the indications I gave him, he shook his head, closed his eyes, raised his arm, moved his legs. It is a very good result, “congratulated the doctor.
Jakobsen suffered a spectacular fall shortly before the goal of the first stage of the Tour of Poland on Wednesday. Reigning champion of Holland saw his compatriot Dylan Groenewegen blocked the way (Jumbo-Visma) in a sprint at full speed, and hit the guardrails. The 23-year-old Deceuninck rider, placed in an induced coma, underwent a head operation for five hours overnight Wednesday through Thursday.
Investigation
Groenewegen, who had to undergo surgery for a broken collarbone, apologized Thursday on Twitter. “I think what happened yesterday is terrible. I can’t find the words to describe how sorry I am for Fabio and the others who fell or were affected. Right now Fabio’s health is the most important thing. I think about him all the time, ”wrote Groenewegen on the social network.
A few words that did not prevent Patrick Lefevere, manager of the Deceuninck team, from announcing the filing a complaint. “It was a very dirty action from Groenewegen. You don’t do that kind of thing. We have already filed a complaint with the UCI and we will do the same with the Polish police. We will not let it pass, “he told the Belgian agency. On Thursday, the Katowice prosecutor’s office announced the opening of an investigation into the accident.
Although Groenewegen was identified as the main person responsible for the accident -he was disqualified- the organizer of the race is also at the point of mira by choice of a downhill arrival and by the type of barriers used. “Every year the same idiotic sprint in the Tour of Poland”, reacted the German runner Simon Geschke. “Every year I ask myself why the organization thinks it is a good idea. Mass sprints are quite dangerous, no need to go down to 50 miles per hour! ‘
Jakobsen’s fall occurred a year after the death of the young Belgian runner Bjorg Lambrecht (22 years old), who died after falling to the ground and hitting a concrete structure, also in the Tour of Poland.
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