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GENT, Belgium (Velo) — Lorena Wiebes powered to her 100th career victory at Ghent-Wevelgem Women on Sunday, winning on a wild day that also saw bikes fished out from a ditch.
Fabio Jakobsen also hits pause from racing after being diagnosed with flow limitation in both iliac arteries, severely restricting blood flow to his legs during intense efforts.
Jakobsen, who showed signs of struggle at the UAE Tour and Paris-Nice, will undergo surgery on April 2. He is expected to be off the bike for at least six weeks, according to Team PostNL-Bingoal doctor Camiel Aldershof.
“The diagnosis is very clear and currently limiting him on the bike,” Aldershof said. “Thankfully, he has a more favourable prognosis to return due to the type of limitation.”
Jakobsen admitted the condition was mentally tough to accept, but remains optimistic.
“It’s mentally of course a setback, but now that we have found the cause of the issue, I am hopeful that the surgery can then solve it,” he said. “Sometimes you need to take one step back to be able to make two forward.”
Wiebes hits 100 wins after rainbow leadout
Reigning world champion Lotte Kopecky delivered a red carpet leadout for teammate Wiebes, who clinched her 100th career victory.
“It’s something special,” Wiebes beamed at the finish. “It happened faster than I expected … With DSM it started to feel normal to win races, but in this team it’s different, because they’re always challenging me to win bigger races too.”
Wiebes becomes the latest active rider to surpass the century mark, with compatriot Marianne Vos boasting a staggering 255 wins.
Watch: Bikes end up in ditch
A pair of bikes ended up in a ditch during Gent-Wevelgem Women when the bunch was splitting into echelons.
One of the riders involved in the crash was Amber Pate. She didn’t go into the ditch, but her bike did.
Team staffers were seen trying to fish out the bikes from deep ditch alongside the road.
Nienke Veenhoven of Visma-Lease a Bike also crashed heavily and was later transported to a local hospital.
There more bad luck for Visma-Lease a Bike, with Olav Kooij fracturing his collarbone in the men’s race.
