Jakob Fuglsang hints at retirement as a professional cyclist and sets a surprising goal for 2024
CyclingSunday, 17 December 2023 at 08:53
Jakob Fuglsang, who is in the later stages of his career, aims to give his all in what might be his final season. The now 38-year-old Dane is setting his sights on the cobblestone classics and the Tour de France, something he hasn't done since 2016.
"At the moment, my plan is to ride the E3 Saxo Classic, Dwars Door Vlaanderen, and the Tour of Flanders," he told the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. "I’m looking forward to it. I’ve wanted to return and race there for a few years now. Hopefully, I still can." The Israel-Premier Tech rider only participated in the Tour of Flanders once before, in 2016, finishing in a respectable 25th place, more than a minute behind winner Peter Sagan. His motivation for that participation stemmed from the 2014 Tour de France. Riding for Astana, he and his Italian leader Vincenzo Nibali dominated the cobblestone stage, leaving everyone else behind. Chris Froome had to abandon the Tour after two crashes in just a few days, while Nibali's major rival Alberto Contador, who also eventually withdrew, struggled in the pouring rain and lost nearly three minutes to the Astana pair. The stage itself was won by Lars Boom.
Fuglsang on a farewell tour in the Tour?
Like Michael Woods, Fuglsang recently indicated that he plans to delay his retirement and continue as a professional cyclist into 2025. However, this year's Tour de France might be his final major act, as La Grande Boucle doesn't finish in Paris but on the French south coast, where Fuglsang lives with his family. "It could be my last Tour de France. Maybe that's also why I want to do the Tour this year, because it finishes in Nice and the last stage starts in Monaco. The Tour might also be my last Grand Tour. So, I really wanted to do the Tour and fortunately, it fits with what the team wants."
If Fuglsang decides to retire at the end of the season, he can look back on a highly successful career. The Israel-Premier Tech rider won two monuments with Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2019) and the Tour of Lombardy (2020) and claimed the general classification in the Critérium du Dauphiné twice (2017 and 2019). His most recent victory dates back to May last year, when he won the Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes.
Il Lombardia 2024
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024