Threats to Dylan Groenewegen are unacceptable and race barriers are to blame for crash, says riders's union
The crash happened on stage one of the Tour of Poland in 2020 with Fabio Jakobsen crashing through the race barriers


Threats to Dylan Groenwegen were "unacceptable," the men's professional riders' union has said, while raising concerns about the safety barriers at the Tour of Poland.
The International Association of Professional Riders (CPA) president, Gianni Bugno, has blamed the Tour of Poland's race barriers for the seriousness of Fabio Jakobsen's crash, which happened when Dylan Groenewegan deviated from his sprinting line.
Bugno also shared his disgust at the threats Groenewegen received from the public.
Speaking in a press release on the CPA website, Bugno said: "What happened is inadmissible, unworthy and indecent. Words and actions have weight and those that have been addressed to this boy are unacceptable.
"The finger must be pointed at the dangerous barriers that determined the severity of the fall in which Fabio Jakobsen suffered the most serious consequences.
"Dylan [Groenewegen] made a mistake in the race that he paid dearly, indeed today he is the only one to have paid for what happened at the finish line in Katowice."
The crash happened at the tour of Poland in the sprint finish of stage one into Katowice with Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma) and Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) easily beating the other riders.
>>> Peter Sagan suffers nasty cuts on birthday training ride
But Groenewegen deviated off his racing line, forcing Jakobsen into the barriers. What happened next was the shocking part as Jakobsen plunged through the barriers.
Jakobsen had to be put into an induced coma and underwent multiple surgeries to help try and heal his facial injuries, with Groenewegen being handed a nine-month ban from racing.
Recently it was revealed that Groenewegen had received threats in the post and was also sent a noose, leading his family to get police protection for the Dutchman, who is a new father.
Bugno continued: "I hope that the controversy will now belong to the past and that once the sentence inflicted on Dylan is served, the whole group will welcome him back with friendship and understanding"
A similar crash happened at the Tour de France in 2017 when Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) forced Mark Cavendish (then Team Dimension Data) into the barriers, seeing Cavendish crash out and Sagan kicked off the race.
The finish into Katowice at the Tour of Poland has received criticism for a while now with the finish being slightly downhill, which means the speeds are dangerously fast when the sprinters are at full tilt.
The press release continued added that the CPA wants all races to have a specific level of barrier quality across all UCI races to make sure this never happens again: "As a movement we must do everything possible to ensure the safety of the events and of their main actors. It is our duty to avoid the physical and moral pain that Fabio, Dylan and many other cyclists, both female and male even in the minor categories have lived and are experiencing"
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi, I'm one of Cycling Weekly's content writers for the web team responsible for writing stories on racing, tech, updating evergreen pages as well as the weekly email newsletter. Proud Yorkshireman from the UK's answer to Flanders, Calderdale, go check out the cobbled climbs!
I started watching cycling back in 2010, before all the hype around London 2012 and Bradley Wiggins at the Tour de France. In fact, it was Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck's battle in the fog up the Tourmalet on stage 17 of the Tour de France.
It took me a few more years to get into the journalism side of things, but I had a good idea I wanted to get into cycling journalism by the end of year nine at school and started doing voluntary work soon after. This got me a chance to go to the London Six Days, Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain to name a few before eventually joining Eurosport's online team while I was at uni, where I studied journalism. Eurosport gave me the opportunity to work at the world championships in Harrogate back in the awful weather.
After various bar jobs, I managed to get my way into Cycling Weekly in late February of 2020 where I mostly write about racing and everything around that as it's what I specialise in but don't be surprised to see my name on other news stories.
When not writing stories for the site, I don't really switch off my cycling side as I watch every race that is televised as well as being a rider myself and a regular user of the game Pro Cycling Manager. Maybe too regular.
My bike is a well used Specialized Tarmac SL4 when out on my local roads back in West Yorkshire as well as in northern Hampshire with the hills and mountains being my preferred terrain.
-
-
Julian Alaphilippe says 'broken bones were still painful' when he resumed training - but remains optimistic of Tour de France return
The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider is with his team training in Sierra Nevada as he suggests returning for the Tour de France is still possible
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Doing more cycling in the 'sweetspot' training zone could revolutionise your fitness - here's why
The ‘comfortably hard’ zone just below FTP promises sweet rewards for your aerobic fitness, but how much and how often is best for you? Pro coach Brendan Housler explains
By Brendan Housler • Published
-
Five talking points from stage seven of the Giro d'Italia 2022
What we learned from the hardest day of the race so far
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Jumbo-Visma bounce back from Etna disappointment on the road to Potenza at Giro d'Italia
Tom Dumoulin and Koen Bouwman deliver Dutch victory on stage seven
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Fan makes Sam Oomen crash post-Giro d'Italia stage five
Jumbo-Visma haven't exactly had the best luck over the opening five days
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tom Dumoulin and Jumbo-Visma left licking wounds after first Giro d'Italia mountain test
Dutchman and teammates tumble down general classification
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Wout van Aert says he's racing Paris-Roubaix so he is not 'missing out on everything'
Jumbo-Visma rider explains that he will be a "little less good" on Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Wout van Aert to ride Paris-Roubaix, but in a supporting role
Jumbo-Visma rider makes his return from his Covid-enforced absence
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'If I can have another day, start another race, I'm grateful for that': Coryn Labecki on racing with Marianne Vos, her family’s COVID tragedy, and her new outlook on life
We sat down with former Flanders winner, Coryn Labecki, to talk about finding her place in the Jumbo-Visma squad, her new outlook on life, racing with the GOAT — Marianne Vos
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Wout van Aert 'unlikely' to race Tour of Flanders, Jumbo-Visma says
Belgian champion was outstanding favourite for Sunday's race
By Adam Becket • Published