<p>Dutch cyclist Dylan Groenewegen has been suspended for nine months for causing a crash at the Tour of Poland that left compatriot Fabio Jakobsen in a coma, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said Wednesday.</p>.<p>Groenewegen, 27, "collaborated with the investigation and accepted to serve a period of suspension until 7 May 2021," the UCI said in a statement. He has not ridden since the accident in early August.</p>.<p>Jakobsen spent two days in a coma and required facial reconstruction surgery after he was thrown into and over barriers at the finish of the opening stage of the race in Katowice.</p>.<p>The 24-year-old was racing elbow-to-elbow with Groenewegen at 80 km/h (50mph) before the latter veered suddenly to the right, squeezing his rival of Deceuninck-Quick Step into the security wall.</p>.<p>Jakobsen somersaulted over the barriers before colliding with a race official.</p>.<p>Groenewegen went on to win the stage but was later disqualified with Jakobsen declared the winner.</p>.<p>Jakobsen was left fighting for his life and underwent a five-hour operation immediately after the accident after sustaining severe injuries to the face. He had a second surgery in October to fix his shattered jaw.</p>.<p>"I am very grateful that I am still alive," Jakobsen had said after his condition improved sufficiently for him to be moved back home to the Netherlands.</p>.<p>Patrick Lefevere, general manager of the Deceuninck-Quick Step team, called the incident a "criminal act" and "a very dirty move from Groenewegen".</p>.<p>Groenewegen, who had surgery on a fractured collarbone sustained in the fall, apologised on social media and Dutch television, and had been suspended by his Jumbo-Visma team pending a ruling from the UCI.</p>.<p>"I can't find the words to describe how sorry I am for Fabio and the others who fell or were affected," he said.</p>.<p>"I am thinking about him all the time."</p>.<p>During the investigation, cycling's governing body said Groenewegen "acknowledged that he deviated from his line and committed a violation of the UCI regulations".</p>.<p>On top of his suspension, "the rider also accepted to take part in a number of events to the benefit of the cycling community", the UCI added.</p>.<p>"The UCI emphasises the importance of acting on any such incidents from a disciplinary point of view in a fair and consistent manner as well as continuously working on measures aimed at improving road safety."</p>.<p>Tour of Poland officials were criticised for organising a downhill sprint finish and the type of barriers used. The race witnessed another heavy fall on stage three which resulted in French cyclist Mickael Delage being airlifted to hospital.</p>.<p>The Jakobsen incident came a year to the day after the death of 22-year-old Belgian sprinter Bjorg Lambrecht, who died after falling and hitting a concrete structure on the 2019 Tour of Poland.</p>
<p>Dutch cyclist Dylan Groenewegen has been suspended for nine months for causing a crash at the Tour of Poland that left compatriot Fabio Jakobsen in a coma, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said Wednesday.</p>.<p>Groenewegen, 27, "collaborated with the investigation and accepted to serve a period of suspension until 7 May 2021," the UCI said in a statement. He has not ridden since the accident in early August.</p>.<p>Jakobsen spent two days in a coma and required facial reconstruction surgery after he was thrown into and over barriers at the finish of the opening stage of the race in Katowice.</p>.<p>The 24-year-old was racing elbow-to-elbow with Groenewegen at 80 km/h (50mph) before the latter veered suddenly to the right, squeezing his rival of Deceuninck-Quick Step into the security wall.</p>.<p>Jakobsen somersaulted over the barriers before colliding with a race official.</p>.<p>Groenewegen went on to win the stage but was later disqualified with Jakobsen declared the winner.</p>.<p>Jakobsen was left fighting for his life and underwent a five-hour operation immediately after the accident after sustaining severe injuries to the face. He had a second surgery in October to fix his shattered jaw.</p>.<p>"I am very grateful that I am still alive," Jakobsen had said after his condition improved sufficiently for him to be moved back home to the Netherlands.</p>.<p>Patrick Lefevere, general manager of the Deceuninck-Quick Step team, called the incident a "criminal act" and "a very dirty move from Groenewegen".</p>.<p>Groenewegen, who had surgery on a fractured collarbone sustained in the fall, apologised on social media and Dutch television, and had been suspended by his Jumbo-Visma team pending a ruling from the UCI.</p>.<p>"I can't find the words to describe how sorry I am for Fabio and the others who fell or were affected," he said.</p>.<p>"I am thinking about him all the time."</p>.<p>During the investigation, cycling's governing body said Groenewegen "acknowledged that he deviated from his line and committed a violation of the UCI regulations".</p>.<p>On top of his suspension, "the rider also accepted to take part in a number of events to the benefit of the cycling community", the UCI added.</p>.<p>"The UCI emphasises the importance of acting on any such incidents from a disciplinary point of view in a fair and consistent manner as well as continuously working on measures aimed at improving road safety."</p>.<p>Tour of Poland officials were criticised for organising a downhill sprint finish and the type of barriers used. The race witnessed another heavy fall on stage three which resulted in French cyclist Mickael Delage being airlifted to hospital.</p>.<p>The Jakobsen incident came a year to the day after the death of 22-year-old Belgian sprinter Bjorg Lambrecht, who died after falling and hitting a concrete structure on the 2019 Tour of Poland.</p>