It’s easy to think - with what appears in our news feeds each day - that our country has cornered the market on crazy. Who could imagine that the world of professional bicycle racing would provide a counter example?
On August 5, 2020, in the first stage of the Tour of Poland, Dutch sprinter Fabio Jakobsen crashed heavily into the barriers near the finish line. The serious nature of the crash was immediately recognized, and the first reports listed Jakobsen’s condition as ‘very serious’ and ‘life threatening.’ He was placed in an induced coma while his condition was evaluated. It was several days before he returned to consciousness, to express thanks that he survived the crash.
While crashes in intensely contested sprints are not uncommon, one of Jakobsen’s countrymen, Dylan Groenewegen, was considered responsible for an extremely dangerous and (within the rules of cycling) illegal maneuver resulting in Jakobsen’s crash. Jakobsen was declared the stage winner, Groenewegen was disqualified and fined 500 CHF for the action. (Groenewegen and a number of other riders also came down in the crash, with much less severe injuries.) The speed of the bunch at the time of the crash was appx 80 kph (almost 50 mph).
Subsequently, as the incident received more attention, Groenewegen’s actions in the sprint were regarded as more egregious, and he received a 9 month suspension (extremely long, in the sport of cycling, for a non-doping offense). All the while Jakobsen snd his team of doctors and surgeons fought to save his life.
I am very pleased (tears, in fact!) to report that, after five excruciatingly difficult months, Jakobsen has recovered well enough to return to training on his bike, and that he hopes to resume his professional career in coming months. He has at least one surgical procedure remaining to address a dental issue remaining from the terrible crash. But many folks in the cycling world, myself included, are very happy to read of his progress and recovery. Of course, the degree to which he may be able to return to his former level as a top sprinter remains to be seen. It may be that he will never again return to that level. Only time will answer that. I hope he is able to.
As to the crash, I did not witness it live. (You can watch it on YouTube, if you like. Be warned: it is very hard to watch.) I know that bicycle racers often move toward the barriers to ‘close the door’ on riders attempting to pass in sprints, hoping that fear of crashing will intimidate them out of continuing their attempt to overtake. Sometimes it works, many times it does not. Riders with a sprinter’s mentality are not easily intimidated, and their professional success depends on their winning races despite the aggressive actions of other sprinters.
In the interest of being more complete, it is important to note that other experts in cycling (riders/coaches/former riders) spread the blame to the race organization (the Polish group that put on the races, designed the courses, etc) and the UCI (the Union Cycliste Internationale - the world governing body for the sport of cycling). It is true that there are organizational and regulatory things that can be done to make the sport safer. We hope those things will be done.
I would never make excuse for Groenewegen’s actions in that sprint. Under no circumstances do I think he intended to cause Jakobsen life-threatening injuries, and he definitely expressed remorse. But he did crash him, and those injuries were a consequence. Groenewegen has paid a heavy price for what he did, not just because of the sanctions within the sport. The public also renders a powerful verdict about such things, and the power of that judgment should not be underestimated.
However, some of the more fanatical fans went very far beyond condemnation and censure, and Groenewegen received death threats after the incident. Local authorities considered them serious enough to assign police protection to the rider. That is a development that makes me very sad, indeed. However bad his offense, Dylan Groenewegen does not deserve to lose his life. And those making those threats should be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Extremism like that should have no place in our world. Whether it is on the Capitol steps in Washington, or in remote villages in Europe, where it is perhaps less expected. Our species must do better. Everywhere. That such extremism is not confined to QAnon and like groups is not a good thing at all.
I wish Fabio Jakobsen further progress on the path of complete recovery. I hope Dylan Groenewegen will be much better in future sprints, and that the UCI and race organizers effect improvements to make the race finishes safer.
And may all people learn to find more constructive expression of their anger about and frustration with the injustices we find in our world. Violence only increases those injustices, it never addresses them. I know you guys know.
Thanks for reading.