Fabio Jakobsen avoids disaster after a spectator's phone was called during the San Juan sprint

Fabio Jakobsen narrowly avoided disaster on the final stage of the Vuelta a San Juan after being hit by a spectator’s outstretched arm – and his mobile phone – at the sprint finish.

The Dutchman was battling for the win in San Juan and was sprinting near the barriers when he was hit in the face, losing his sunglasses in the process.

Sprinter Soudal-QuickStep, who finished second to Team DSM’s Sam Welsford at the finish, later said the incident could have been worse, recalling his fatal crash in the Tour of Poland in 2020.

Fortunately, Jakobsen was able to keep control of his bike and stay upright after the incident in the last meters of the finish of the peloton. However, he suffered a cut on his right cheek as a result of the blow.

“I thought Nizzolo was going to slide to the left, but I should have been wary and rode too close to the barriers,” Jakobsen said. Sporza (opens in a new tab).

“Someone reached out with a phone. I think a lot of people had deja vu after that stage in Poland. It was partly my fault but there was space. I didn’t not seen the hand.

“I have a cut and everything is a bit swollen but it could have been much worse. Luckily it went well.”

Sporza reported that Argentine police were investigating the incident and apprehended the viewer.

Miguel Angel López (Medellín-EPM) took the overall victory in the Vuelta a San Juan, beating Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) by 30 seconds at the end of the week’s races. Jakobsen left the race injured but with a day two stage victory in Jáchal under his belt.

Jakobsen’s severed face after the incident (Image credit: SEBASTIAN GIL MIRANBELGA MAGAFP via Getty Images)

🇦🇷#VueltaSJ2023 Qué susto de Jakobsen 😨 Y todo por el afán de un aficionado de sacar el teléfono para grabar en una llegada a alta velocidad y donde los sprinters arriesgan al máximo 🤦🏻‍♂️Por sus fortuna, se que enlo s. twitter.com/5RBHNva4gbJanuary 29, 2023

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