Fabio Jacobsen returned to the Sourdal-Quick Step team bus with significant abrasions on his right shoulder and side.

On day two, Jacobsen missed out on his first win of the 2023 Tour de France, as hometown rival Jasper Philipsen took the win thanks to a brilliant leadout from Alpecin-Desseuninck teammate Mathieu van der Pol.

In the Soudal-Quick Step team bus, Jacobsen and his teammates licked their wounds and only hoped their luck would turn after the stage in the Pyrenees.

Julien Alaphilippe struggled on the opening stage in the Basque Country, but still waved the flag on the mountain stage for the Belgian team.

Philipsen did not stop to talk about his crash and was immediately attended to by doctors at Sourdal-Quick Step.

"Fabio has a 'nice' asphalt scar on his shoulder and back. He won't sleep much tonight," team manager Patrick Lefevere explained after checking Jacobsen's injuries.

"There were a lot of crashes at the finish of the circuit today. The question is whether it is the fault of the circuit or the riders. Some sprinters took big risks. Unfortunately, sprinters always take risks, so it is inevitable that crashes will happen.

Lefebvre spoke with the riders to understand what caused the crash.

"Julien Alaphilippe wanted to put him in front because his team was too far back. But he was not willing to give way, because in a sprint no team wants to give way," he explained.

"I was looking ahead to see if Fabio could get up there by himself, and just then Mathieu van der Pol came up on the right side with Jasper Philipsen. He [van der Pol] brought his front wheel into contact with Fabio's rear wheel."

Former sprinter and Director Sportif Tom Steels reviewed the replay of Jacobsen's crash on his cell phone with other team staff members and was horrified by what he saw.

He seemed surprised that Jacobsen was able to finish and get onto the team bus. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana Kazakstan) and Jacopo Guarnieri (Lot Doustony) were not so lucky with a suspected broken collarbone.

"Fabio is okay, but his bike is broken in three pieces.

"He lost a lot of skin, but let's hope he recovers and is OK on the bike so he can suffer in the Pyrenees."