Fabio Jacobsen sprinted three times in the Avenida dos Descobrimentos in Lagos, finishing on the podium each time and winning his first yellow jersey in the Volta ao Algarve.

Jacobsen, who had already won two stages of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, was the favorite to win Wednesday. His odds were further reduced when two group crashes in the final hour of the race added five Quick-Step Alfa Vinyl teammates to the lead group fighting for the finish.

Remco Evenpole, Yves Lampert, and Bert Van Lerberghe piloted Jacobsen, who delivered a powerful kick in the last 200 meters to win against Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Briand Kokar (Cofidis).

"The last 60km were hectic, but I think I was always with my team. I was calm and with a small group," Jacobsen said after the podium ceremony. Remko gave me a great tow on the climb before Lagos, and it's super to see him work to lead me in the sprint, even though he's a GC rider."

"Then we hit the roundabout at Lampert and Vanlerberghe and he put me in a perfect position to set up the sprint. It was a fast sprint because there was a tailwind."

Since his stage win at the Volta ao Algarve in 2020, Jacobsen has endured and overcome more than one would expect at his age. If his victory at last year's Vuelta a España represented a symbolic and emotional end to that difficult rehabilitation period, his victory in friendly Lagos was a welcome, if more subdued, step back into a familiar routine.

"I love coming here. The weather is great, and it's a great place to race and start the season," Jacobsen smiled.

"I did a training camp here at the beginning of February...I did a training camp here at the beginning of February," Jacobsen said.

Tom Steele, sport director of Quick-Step Alphavinil, winner of nine group finishes in the Tour de France during his racing career, Jacobsen's from a horrific crash at the 2020 Tour de Pollogne He is in the best position to weigh the magnitude of the comeback. When asked whether Jacobsen's physical or psychological recovery was more pronounced, Steele replied, "I think it was both."

"Physically, of course, he had to come back from a very long way. He had to come back physically last year." At the Tour of Spain, he was already at a good level. And now, with a good winter and good preparation, he is where he should be. For me, he has the qualities to be the best in the world. I am happy to see him at this level again."

Jakobsen is currently in the most coveted position in the sprinting world, No. 1 on the Quick-Step Alphavinir depth chart. Even though Mark Cavendish, who won four stages and the green jersey last year, would love to return to the Tour de France if given the chance, he will make his Tour de France debut this July, with a stage win last week at the Tour of Oman to to start the season.

Steele, who lived with fast men like Jan Svorada during his time in Mapei, insists that having Cavendish on the team will not put additional pressure on Jacobsen's shoulders.

"I want to talk more about motivation," Steele said. 'They're both at the top of their game. One is young and the other, Kav, is still running at a really high level, and it's good to have both of them at a high level; it's always good to have two top sprinters on the team."