1. Steven Kruijswijk has finished in the top 5 of all three Grand Tours, and was very close to winning the 2016 Giro d'Italia but lost the lead when he crashed into a snow bank on the penultimate mountain stage.
29 Facts About Steven Kruijswijk
1. 2.
Steven Kruijswijk reached the podium for the first time in a Grand Tour when he placed 3rd overall in the 2019 Tour de France finishing 1:31 behind overall winner Egan Bernal.
3.
In 2007 Steven Kruijswijk began riding for the Rabobank Continental Team.
4.
In 2011, Steven Kruijswijk finished 8th overall in the Giro d'Italia and won Stage 6 in the Tour de Suisse, finishing third overall.
5.
Steven Kruijswijk eventually finished seventh overall, 10 minutes and 53 seconds down on Alberto Contador.
6.
Steven Kruijswijk held the blue jersey as leader of the mountains classification from stages 16 to 18, and placed third in that competition behind Giovanni Visconti and Landa.
7.
Steven Kruijswijk took his form into the Tour de France where he helped teammate Robert Gesink finish in 6th place overall.
8.
Steven Kruijswijk was active himself on mountain stages by going into breakaways, however he had no luck of winning a stage.
9.
In 2016, Steven Kruijswijk rode the Giro d'Italia again, which began with three stages in the Netherlands.
10.
On stage 15, a mountainous time trial finishing on the Seiser Alm, Steven Kruijswijk again finished second, this time to Alexander Foliforov to increase his lead to 2 minutes and 12 seconds over Chaves, as Nibali encountered mechanical issues, and dropped to third overall, 2 minutes 51 seconds behind Steven Kruijswijk.
11.
However, on stage 19 Steven Kruijswijk crashed on the descent of the Colle dell'Agnello whilst following an attack by Nibali and Chaves, landing on a bank of snow on the side of the road.
12.
Steven Kruijswijk visited the hospital after the stage where it was confirmed he had broken 2 ribs in the crash.
13.
Steven Kruijswijk abandoned the race in the first week after a heavy crash.
14.
Steven Kruijswijk aimed to win the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia in 2017, after just missing out on the race win in 2016.
15.
Steven Kruijswijk never reached his form from the previous year in the Giro however, and Kruijswijk abandoned the race in the last days due to illness.
16.
Steven Kruijswijk quickly recovered at the Tour de Suisse, and reached the podium with 3rd overall.
17.
Steven Kruijswijk never reached the form he had the previous year and only broke inside the top 10 on the final days; with a 7th place on the finish to Alto de l'Angliru, Steven Kruijswijk finished 9th overall in the race.
18.
At his final preparation race for the Tour de France, Steven Kruijswijk reached 8th position at the Tour de Suisse.
19.
Steven Kruijswijk attacked solo with 80 kilometres to go before getting caught 5 kilometres from the finish line on Alpe d'Huez.
20.
Steven Kruijswijk still managed to fight for a top ten finish on the stage, and for his effort, Kruijswijk received the combativity award on stage 12.
21.
Steven Kruijswijk stayed with the elite riders through the final week and rode a decent individual time trial on stage 20 to finish 5th overall.
22.
Steven Kruijswijk finished the race in 9th place with teammates Robert Gesink and Antwan Tolhoek taking 8th and 10th places respectively.
23.
Steven Kruijswijk entered the top 5 on stage 14 after an attack on the final climb of the stage.
24.
Steven Kruijswijk finished fourth on the stage 16 individual time trial, advancing to 3rd place overall.
25.
When three of his contenders for the podium rode away on the second last climb of the day, Steven Kruijswijk hesitated and lost his podium place as he had to ride the final of the last climb at his own pace.
26.
Steven Kruijswijk failed to finish the Tour de France due to illness, but finished in twelfth place at the Vuelta a Espana, with a best stage result of second on the fifteenth stage.
27.
Steven Kruijswijk abandoned the race on stage 15 following a crash, while lying 13th overall.
28.
At the Tour de Romandie, he was outperformed on the mountain stage to Thyon by neo-pro teammate Thomas Gloag; Gloag finished just outside the top-ten placings overall in eleventh, while Steven Kruijswijk finished outside the top-thirty positions.
29.
In 2024, Steven Kruijswijk rode the Criterium du Dauphine again, but just like in 2023 he crashed, again missing the subsequent Tour de France.