Jakob Fuglsang facts for kids

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Jakob Fuglsang

Fuglsang at the 2017 Tour de France
Personal information
Full name	Jakob Diemer Fuglsang
Nickname	King in the North, Fuglen, Birdsong, Birdy
Born	(1985-03-22) 22 March 1985 (age 40) Geneva, Switzerland
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight	65 kg (143 lb; 10 st 3 lb)
Team information
Current team	Israel–Premier Tech
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder
Major wins
;Mountain bike Cape Epic (2008) Road Grand Tours Vuelta a España 1 individual stage (2019) 3 TTT stages (2011, 2013, 2019) Stage races Critérium du Dauphiné (2017, 2019) Danmark Rundt (2008, 2009, 2010) Vuelta a Andalucía (2019, 2020) Tour de Luxembourg (2012) Tour of Austria (2012) Tour of Slovenia (2009) One-day races and Classics National Time Trial Championships (2010, 2012) Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2019) Giro di Lombardia (2020)

Jakob Diemer Fuglsang, born on March 22, 1985, is a professional road racing cyclist from Denmark. He rides for the Israel–Premier Tech team. Before becoming a road cyclist, Jakob was a champion mountain biker. He won the Under-23 World Cup and World Championships in mountain biking.

Jakob Fuglsang has achieved great success in his career. He finished 7th overall in the Tour de France and 6th in the Giro d'Italia, which are his best results in these huge races called Grand Tours. He also won the famous Liège–Bastogne–Liège race in 2019 and the Giro di Lombardia in 2020. He has won the Critérium du Dauphiné stage race twice, in 2017 and 2019. Jakob has also won other important stage races like Danmark Rundt three times in a row (2008-2010), Tour de Luxembourg and Tour of Austria in 2012, and Tour of Slovenia in 2009.

Jakob Fuglsang's Cycling Journey

Starting Out as a Pro (2006–2008)

Jakob Fuglsang began his professional cycling career in 2006. He started as a mountain biker for the Cannondale-Vredestein team.

In 2007, Jakob moved to Italy to focus on his cycling. It was a tough year because he was alone and far from his family. But this helped him focus on his mountain bike career. His biggest moment came in September at the Under-23 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. He was competing against Swiss rider Nino Schurter. Jakob managed to pass Schurter on the final lap, winning the Under-23 World Champion title! After this big win, Jakob got the rainbow stripes tattooed on his arm. These stripes are a symbol of being a world champion.

The next year, Jakob decided to focus more on road racing, but he still did some mountain bike races. He and his teammate Roal Paulissen won the Cape Epic in 2008, a very tough mountain bike stage race. He also led the Danmark Rundt road race. He signed a contract with the Team Saxo Bank team right before winning the Danmark Rundt.

Riding for Team Saxo Bank (2009–2010)

Fuglsang in the leader's jersey at the 2009 Danmark Rundt

Jakob started his first World Tour season in 2009 with the Team Saxo Bank team. He had a great first year, finishing 6th overall in races like Volta a Catalunya and Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. In August, he won his second Danmark Rundt and had also won the Tour of Slovenia earlier. He rode his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España, in August and September. He crashed early in the race but kept going. Later that year, he finished 2nd in the Italian classic race Giro dell'Emilia.

Fuglsang riding the 2010 Tour de France prologue in his Danish National Time Trial jersey

The next year, 2010, was a bit uncertain for his team. Jakob wanted to stay, but he got a great offer from the Leopard Trek team. In June, he finished 3rd overall in the Tour de Suisse and won the Danish National Time Trial Championships for the first time. In July 2010, Jakob rode his first ever Tour de France. His teammate Andy Schleck ended up winning the race due to a later decision regarding another rider. After the Tour de France, Jakob won his third Danmark Rundt in a row. In his last race for Team Saxo Bank, he finished 4th in Giro di Lombardia.

Time with Leopard Trek (2011–2012)

2011: Wearing a Grand Tour Leader's Jersey

In 2011, Jakob joined the new Luxembourgish team Leopard Trek. He had a mixed start to the season. He finished 4th in the Amstel Gold Race, a famous one-day race. Jakob was chosen to help the Schleck brothers in the Tour de France. He showed great form, finishing 4th overall in the Tour de Suisse before the Tour de France. The team was a favorite to win the Tour. Jakob finished 49th overall, helping his teammates.

Jakob also rode the Vuelta a España in 2011. His team won the opening Team Time Trial, and Jakob crossed the finish line first! This meant he got to wear the Red Leader's jersey on the next stage. He was only the second Danish rider ever to wear this jersey. He later finished 11th overall in the Vuelta.

2012: Challenges and New Wins

In 2012, Jakob stayed with the Schleck brothers as the team became RadioShack–Nissan. He was supposed to lead his team in the Giro d'Italia, but he had to pull out because of knee problems. Jakob later won the Tour de Luxembourg. He took the leader's jersey on a tough stage and defended it to win the overall race.

He was then not allowed to race in the Tour de France by his team. This happened after he said he wasn't happy with how things were going in the team. Jakob wrote in his book that the team often felt split, like two teams instead of one. After winning the Danish National Time Trial Championships for the second time, he went to Austria. There, he won stage 4 and the overall race of the Tour of Austria.

Years with Astana (2013–2021)

Fuglsang at the 2013 Tour de France

2013: A Top 7 Finish at the Tour de France

At the end of 2012, Jakob left his old team and joined Astana. In the 2013 Tour de France, Jakob was the main leader for Astana. On stage 9, he attacked with another rider, Dan Martin. They worked together and stayed ahead of the main group. Jakob finished 2nd on that stage.

On stage 13, Jakob was again on the attack. He finished 4th and moved up to 6th place overall in the race. His efforts were praised by his teammates and staff. He battled for 6th place and eventually finished 7th overall in the Tour de France. This was a fantastic result! Later that year, he helped his teammate Vincenzo Nibali finish second in the Vuelta a España.

2014: Helping a Teammate Win the Tour

In the spring of 2014, Jakob showed he was in good shape. He was set to help Vincenzo Nibali win the 2014 Tour de France. On stage 2 of the Tour, Jakob attacked several times, which helped Nibali get away and win the stage. A few days later, Jakob and Nibali rode together on a tough cobblestone stage. They dropped many other riders. Jakob had to slow down to help Nibali, and he finished second on that stage. After this, Nibali was first overall, and Jakob was second!

However, on the first mountain stage, Jakob lost time and dropped to fourth overall. He later dropped out of the top 10. The rest of the race was challenging for Jakob, and he finished 36th overall.

2015: Chasing a Tour de France Stage Win

Jakob had good results in early 2015, finishing in the top ten in several races. His main goal was to help Vincenzo Nibali defend his Tour de France title. But early in the mountains, Nibali struggled. Astana then told Jakob he could try for his own chances.

On a mountain stage in the Pyrenees, Jakob was part of a large group of riders who broke away. He rode strongly, but Joaquim Rodríguez attacked and won the stage. Jakob finished 2nd, arriving at the finish line in the pouring rain. In another stage, Jakob had a great chance for a win. He was in a leading group, but a motorbike accidentally knocked him down. This ended his chance for a stage win, and the motorbike driver was removed from the race.

2016: An Olympic Silver Medal

As a final race before the 2016 Giro d'Italia, Jakob rode the Giro del Trentino. He finished 3rd overall, and his teammate Tanel Kangert was 2nd. In the Giro d'Italia, Jakob finished 2nd on a key mountain stage and moved up to 2nd place overall. His teammate Nibali ended up winning the Giro d'Italia with Jakob's help.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Jakob was in the chasing group on the final downhill. Two main favorites crashed, giving Jakob a chance. With less than 1.5 kilometers to go, Jakob, Greg Van Avermaet, and Rafał Majka were together. In the sprint, Van Avermaet won the gold medal, Jakob won the silver medal, and Majka took the bronze. This Olympic medal was a huge achievement for Jakob!

2017: Winning the Critérium du Dauphiné

In June 2017, Jakob rode the Critérium du Dauphiné. On stage 6, Jakob attacked and got a gap on the other top riders. He won the stage, which was his first win in almost five years! It was also his first World Tour win and his first win for Astana. On the last day of the race, Jakob showed amazing strength. He attacked and won his second stage in just three days. He also won the overall race, which was the biggest win of his career at that time.

After this, Jakob was seen as one of the top favorites for the 2017 Tour de France. He had a great knowledge of the climbs. He attacked on a mountain stage, but his teammate Fabio Aru also attacked, causing some confusion. Jakob crashed later in the race, breaking his elbow and wrist, and had to leave the Tour. Later, he won stage 2 of the Tour of Almaty.

2018: Leading the Tour de France Team

Jakob started 2018 well, finishing 3rd in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and 4th in the Vuelta a Andalucía. He also finished 8th in the Amstel Gold Race and 10th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He won stage 4 of the Tour de Romandie, his first win of the season. He finished 4th overall in that race.

Jakob was the team leader for Astana at the 2018 Tour de France. The first week was full of problems for him, including crashes and bike issues. He managed to move up to 7th place overall after a tough cobblestone stage. As the race went into the Alps, Jakob was close to the top 3, but he struggled on stage 11 and dropped to 12th overall. He finished 12th overall in Paris.

2019: Big Wins at Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Dauphiné

Jakob had an incredible 2019 season. He started by winning the Vuelta a Andalucía. He then finished 2nd in Strade Bianche, a very famous gravel race, after a close sprint with Julian Alaphilippe. At Tirreno–Adriatico, he won stage 5 with a huge effort and finished 3rd overall. He dedicated this win to his former teammate Michele Scarponi, who had passed away.

Jakob had an amazing week in the Ardennes Classics, finishing on the podium in all three races. He was 3rd at Amstel Gold Race and 2nd at La Flèche Wallonne, both times battling with Alaphilippe. At the final classic, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Jakob was the favorite. He attacked in the final kilometers and dropped everyone! He nearly crashed with 3 kilometers to go, but he made an amazing save and won his first "Monument" classic race.

In his last race before the Tour de France, Jakob won his second Critérium du Dauphiné. He took the leader's jersey on the second-to-last day and defended it to win the overall race.

2020: Second Monument Victory

Jakob started 2020 by winning the Vuelta a Andalucía again, winning two stages and the overall race. After racing resumed in August (due to the COVID-19 lockdowns), he finished 5th in Strade Bianche and 2nd in the Tour de Pologne. On August 15, he achieved his second "Monument" win by soloing to victory in the Italian race Giro di Lombardia. This was the first time a Danish cyclist had won this race!

At the UCI Road World Championships, Jakob finished 5th in the road race. He rode a smart race but couldn't quite catch Julian Alaphilippe, who won. Jakob finished 6th overall in the Giro d'Italia, his best Grand Tour finish so far.

2021: Injuries and Recovery

In early 2021, Jakob finished 8th overall at the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var and 9th at Strade Bianche. At the Tour de Suisse, he finished 2nd on a tough uphill stage and ended up 3rd overall in the race. His season ended early after a crash at the Benelux Tour, where he broke his shoulder blade and collarbone.

Israel–Premier Tech (2022–Present)

In October 2021, it was announced that Jakob would join the Israel–Premier Tech team for the 2022 season.

Fuglsang at the 2022 Tour de France

Jakob started his 2022 season racing in Spain, finishing 6th and 10th in two stage races. In May, he got his first win with his new team at the Mercan'Tour Classic. He attacked from the lead group and won the race. He also finished 3rd overall for the second year in a row at the Tour de Suisse. He had to leave the 2022 Tour de France after a crash that caused a fractured rib.

In the first half of 2023, Jakob raced less due to a health issue called epididymitis. He only finished two races: the Tour de Hongrie and the Mercan'Tour Classic.

Personal Life

Jakob Fuglsang lives in Monaco with his wife, Loulou. They got married in 2015. They have a daughter named Jamie Lou, who was born in June 2017. Before moving to Monaco, Jakob and Loulou lived in Luxembourg. There, Jakob trained with fellow cyclists Andy Schleck and Fränk Schleck. His wife Loulou chose to support Jakob's cycling career instead of pursuing her own modeling career.

Major Achievements

Mountain Bike

Road Cycling

Grand Tour Results

Grand Tour general classification results
Grand Tour	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Giro d'Italia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	12	—	—	—	6	—	—	—	—
Tour de France	—	50	49	—	7	36	23	52	DNF	12	DNF	—	DNF	DNF	—	38
/ Vuelta a España	56	—	11	—	29	—	—	—	—	—	13	—	—	—	—

Major Stage Race Results

Major stage race general classification results
Race	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Paris–Nice	27	93	DNF	—	DNF	5	7	—	12	14	—	—	—	—	—	49
Tirreno–Adriatico	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	13	—	—	3	14	21	41	—	—
Volta a Catalunya	6	—	—	DNF	11	11	—	—	15	—	—	NH	—	—	—	—
Tour of the Basque Country	17	37	35	—	31	—	—	—	63	—	4		15	—	—	—
Tour de Romandie	—	—	—	DNF	—	7	17	—	—	4	—		—	29	—	—
Critérium du Dauphiné	6	—	—	—	4	10	—	—	1	—	1	—	—	—	—	24
Tour de Suisse	—	3	4	25	DNF	—	DNF	—	—	2	—	NH	3	3	DNF	—

Classic Race Results

Major Championships Results

Event		2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Olympic Games	Time trial	—	Not held			15	Not held			—	Not held				—	Not held
	Road race	—				12				2					12
World Championships	Time trial	—	—	—	10	37	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	Road race	DNF	43	—	26	DNF	21	—	—	—	—	20	12	5	—	56	—
National Championships	Time trial	—	—	1	2	1	—	—	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	Road race	—	—	—	—	6	48	—	8	—	—	—	—	—	36	—	—

See also

In Spanish: Jakob Fuglsang para niños