Jumbo-Visma have said Dylan Groenewegen will not start a race until the UCI disciplinary committee have made a judgement.
The Dutch sprinter forced Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Fabio Jakobsen into a barrier during the stage one sprint finish at the Tour of Poland, his countryman suffering serious injuries and placed in an induced coma, which he has now successfully woken up from.
The team have wished Jakobsen well, and say Groenewegen “acknowledges that he made an incorrect move by deviating from his line and that he has been correctly disqualified” in a statement.
“We have decided that Dylan will not start in a race until the judgement of the disciplinary committee to which the UCI has handed over the incident.
>>> Patrick Lefevere confirms Deceuninck-Quick-Step will report Dylan Groenewegen to Polish police
“Team Jumbo-Visma stands for fair sportsmanship, within the rules. With his move Dylan broke a sports rule and that’s unacceptable,” the team continued, adding Groenewegen feels “very sorry” for the “unintentional, severe consequences” for the others who were involved in the crash.
They say they will also offer mental support to Groenewegen and his family, and that some of the ways the Groenewegens have been approached since the crash have been “reprehensible”.
“For now, the health and recovery of Fabio prevails. Our thoughts go out to Fabio Jakobsen and the other people involved in the terrible crash in the Tour of Poland,” the statement ends.
Jakobsen was successfully woken up from his medically-induced coma on Friday, two days after the crash.
Medical staff have said Jakobsen has thankfully not suffered any brain damage and his spine isn’t broken. However, all of the bones in Jakobsen’s face were broken and he lost all his teeth, but fortunately no vital organs were hit. They are yet to find out how much nervous system damage the Deceuninck – Quick-Step rider’s face suffered.
