Steven Kruijswijk

Steven Kruijswijk on stage fifteen of the 2016 Giro d’Italia

Nationality: Dutch
Date of birth: June 7 1987
Weight: 66kg 
Height: 178cm
Team: LottoNL–Jumbo
Twitter: @s_kruijswijk

Steven Kruijswijk is a Dutch road cyclist who began riding for the Rabobank Development Team in 2007. He showed early potential, winning the Under 23 title in the Dutch National Road Race in 2009.

The young rider was considered a Giro d’Italia GC contender – and one who could upset the big favourites on the start list of the 2017 edition. However, he eventually abandoned before the penultimate stage, citing stomach problems as the cause of his difficulties.

Kruijswijk has been battling with the Giro d’Italia since sneaking into the top 20 on General Classification, in eighteenth place in 2010.

The following year, in 2011, he upped his game to eighth overall – but didn’t make another appearance at the Italian stage race until 2013 where he came in as rider 26 on GC.

In 2014, he won the Arctic Race of Norway, but did not complete the Grand Tour.

In 2015, Kruijswijk had another pop at the Giro – this time a designated team leader for Team LottoNL-Jumbo.

The Dutch rider performed particularly well in the second half of the race. At the finish of stage 16, he was second to Mikel Landa. His accumulated results there saw him come seventh overall, just under eleven minutes behind eventual winner Alberto Contrador.

Aiming to better his result in the 2016 edition, Kruijswijk took hold of the pink jersey after stage 14, having finished second on the queen stage from Palmanova to Cividale del Friuli.

The next day, he was second again over a mountainous time trial, increasing his lead by two minutes. A third second place on stage 16 gave Kruijskwijk a lead of more than three minutes – giving him plenty of reason to drive for the overall.

However – on stage 19 he hit the deck when chasing an attack from Esteban Chaves and Vincenzo Nibali. He finished the stage, but two broken ribs meant the ride to the line was a struggle and he finished five minutes behind Nibali and four in arrears of Chaves.

Determined to continue, Kruijskijk embarked upon stage 20, where he dropped back to fourth overall – maintaining the position on General Classification.

Extending his contract with Team LottoNL-Jumbo,Kruijskijk has been listed on the Giro d’Italia start list for the 2017 edition.