Dutch Cyclist Undergoes Facial Surgery After Serious Crash In Tour Of Poland
Dutch cyclist Fabio Jakobsen underwent facial surgery that lasted five hours after being injured in a crash Wednesday at the end of the first stage of the Tour of Poland.
Jakobsen was kept in a comatose condition, according to his Deceuninck-QuickStep team, which said he would try to be woken up by doctors Thursday at St. Barbara's Specialized Hospital in Sosnowiec, southern Poland.
“There is no direct threat to his life now," hospital deputy director and doctor Pawel Gruenpeter said, adding that there were no complications during surgery.
No brain or spinal injury was found during diagnostic tests, according to Jakobsen’s team.
Dylan Groenewegen caused the crash with Jakobsen and was disqualified for dangerous behavior. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) condemned Groenewegen for drifting across the road and smashing into Jakobsen near the finish line.
"The UCI, which considers the behavior unacceptable, immediately referred the matter to the disciplinary commission to request the imposition of sanctions commensurate with the seriousness of the facts," the federation said in a statement.
Groenewegen was remorseful after the race. He suffered a broken collarbone as a result of the incident.
“I find it terrible what happened ...” Groenewegen wrote on Twitter. “I cannot find the words to describe how bad I feel for Fabio and others that have fallen or got hurt. At this moment Fabio’s health is absolutely the most important. I think of him, constantly.”
Jakobsen is stable and will be monitored by doctors in the following days.
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