cycling: Who is Steven Kruijswijk?

Who Is? 01.12.2016/XNUMX/XNUMX: The Netherlands has always been a cycling nation. It also includes Steven Kruijswijk. The likeable and unassuming pro with the hard-to-spell name almost won the Giro d'Italia that year. But then came the fall. Instead of being one of the big winners of the season, he is now one of the unlucky ones of the year. For us, Kruijswijk is still one of the winners. What kind of guy is Steven Kruijswijk?

Pure dominance at the Giro d'Italia

Professional cyclists don't have it easy. While the football stars are already whining if they have to play another game during the week, they are chasing up and down the mountain passes several days a week. Well, that's exactly what they chose. If you are successful in the end, there is no reason for complaints. But when the driver is deprived of his well-deserved wages due to a fall, you can see the suffering on his face. That's how it was this year with Steven Kruijswijk. The pro from Team LottoNL-Jumbo was the shining man of the Giro d'Italia in May over 18 stages. Then came stage 19 It was actually a matter of form, because Kruijswijk had been extremely confident up to that point and seemed invulnerable.

Somersaulting in the snow in the Maglia Rosa

The descent from the Colle dell'Agnello then broke his neck. Although only literally, because luckily it stayed with ribs and foot injuries, but mentally the somersault in the snow left deep marks. Kruijswijk lost touch with its main competitors. The gap kept increasing as he had to stop twice to change wheels during his race to catch up. All of this demoralized him. At the end of the day he lost almost five minutes to eventual Giro winner Vincenzo Nibali. His huge advantage over the Italian had turned into a deficit. At the following day he could not build on his previous achievements. Kruijswijk was even knocked off the podium. For this whole dilemma, however, he blamed himself entirely.

I do not know what happened. It was a stupid mistake. At the top I was at the limit. I wanted something to eat and drink. I followed the others. Then I paid taxes and ended up in the snow. The crash itself wasn't that bad, but my bike broke. I couldn't ride it anymore and lost touch. Then you know it's all over. I tried to give everything but my body hurt like hell. It's all over. Yes, I'm still third, but I lost the Giro here.

From the pink Giro to a black year

Steven Kruijswijk ended up fourth overall at the Giro d'Italia. He then gave up the Tour de France and concentrated on starting at the Vuelta a Espana. He wanted to come back as strong as he was in Italy for 18 stages. His team LottoNL-Jumbo was ready to support him. But again luck eluded him. He was already falling behind and even had to leave the tour early. On the 5st stage he fell because the track safety forgot a post. This was about a meter from the curb on the street. As the field passed it at high speed just before the finish, it was impossible for some to see the obstacle. Unlucky Kruijswijk crashed into it and broke his collarbone straight away. The season was over for him.

So these wide shoulders can break #klerenhanger #⬛️ #boringdays pic.twitter.com/YhfIN7SaV9

— Steven Kruijswijk (@s_kruijswijk) August 28, 2016

Steven Kruijswijk trained at Rabobank's talent factory

Up until this year's Giro d'Italia, Kruijswijk was almost considered a failed talent. In his youth he was above all a talented footballer. At the age of 15, however, he decided to pursue a career as a professional cyclist. In 2007 he signed with the Rabobank Development Team. In 2009 he became Dutch U23 champion. Not unexpectedly, he was promoted to the Rabobank professional team the following year. As there were many good drivers in the Netherlands, Steven Kruijswijk did not have to shoulder the burden of high expectations alone. However, those expectations skyrocketed when he was belatedly called up for Oscar Freire in the 2011 Giro d'Italia squad. On his first Grand Tour, he finished eighth overall. At the latest a few weeks later, when he finished the Tour de Suisse in third place and won a stage, many saw him as the upcoming classification driver.

The person Steven Kruijswijk: A pleasant fellow

Although Steven Kruijswijk won the Arctic Race of Norway in 2014, he was initially unable to match his performances at the 2011 Giro. It was not until 2015 that he was able to draw attention to himself again with his seventh place overall - again in Italy. He also wore the mountain jersey for a few days. With five days in the Maglia Rosa and fourth place in the 2016 overall classification, Kruijswijk is now claiming greater success again. He shouldn't begrudge him this just because of the bad luck this season. Because the Dutchman makes an extremely likeable impression during and outside of the race. For several years he was with the German Grischa Niermann at Rabobank. He currently rides with Robert Wagner and Paul Martens. Everyone describes him as modest, reserved and pleasant. He is a captain for whom one gladly sacrifices oneself, without fads and airs and graces.

What can Steven Kruijswijk achieve in 2017?

Neither LottoNL-Jumbo nor Kruijswijk itself has officially announced a racing program for 2017. However, it is highly likely that the Dutchman will attempt the Giro d'Italia again. After finishing eighth, seventh and fourth, there's a good chance he'll finally make it onto a Grand Tour podium with that newfound confidence. There he could probably deal with Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe), Fabio Aru (Astana), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin), Alejandro Valverde, among others (Movistar), Mikel Landa (Sky) and his two compatriots Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb-Giant) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo). In any case, we wish Steven Kruijswijk all the best!

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