Jakobsen first out of the blocks in race for Tour slot

Dutchman racks up two wins in Valenciana, reports Vern Pitt

- Vern Pitt

Fabio Jakobsen made an impressive start to his campaign to be the sprinter that his Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl team take to the Tour de France, winning two stages of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana last week.

The young Dutchman is in competition with team-mate Mark Cavendish to be the team’s chosen sprinter at this year’s Tour.

While the Manxman won four stages in 2021 team manager Patrick Lefevere has said he favours the younger rider and in an interview last September said: “I will not go to the Tour with two sprinters next year.” Jakobsen revealed last month that his schedule includes the Tour while Cavendish will head to the Giro d’Italia.

But in cycling nothing is for certain until the race starts and Cavendish, whose season start was delayed slightly after a crash racing on the track over the winter, is today due to begin his effort to change his Belgian boss’s mind at the Tour of Oman. In the desert there are three stages classified as flat where he can show his form. The first of those stages is today, another tomorrow and the last on Sunday.

He will have an uphill battle as Jakobsen looked imperious in Spain last week.