The End of an Era: Steven Kruijswijk’s Retirement and the Evolution of Cycling Loyalty
When I first heard that Steven Kruijswijk was retiring, my initial reaction was one of nostalgia. It’s not just the end of a career; it’s the closing of a chapter in cycling history. Kruijswijk’s 17-year journey with what is now Team Visma | Lease a Bike is a rarity in modern sports—a testament to loyalty, adaptability, and resilience. In an era where riders often hop between teams for better contracts or opportunities, Kruijswijk’s commitment to a single organization feels almost anachronistic. But what makes this particularly fascinating is how his story mirrors the evolution of the team itself. From Rabobank to Visma, he’s been a constant amidst rebranding, restructuring, and rising dominance.
A Career Defined by Resilience and Near-Misses
Kruijswijk’s career is a study in contrasts. On one hand, he’s a rider who reached the Tour de France podium in 2019, a feat that cements his place in cycling’s elite. On the other, he’s someone whose name is synonymous with heartbreaking near-misses, like the infamous 2016 Giro d’Italia crash into a snowbank. Personally, I think this duality is what makes him so relatable. He’s not the invincible hero; he’s the guy who gets back on the bike after a devastating fall. What many people don’t realize is that these moments of vulnerability—the crashes, the fourth-place finishes—are as much a part of his legacy as his podium spots. They humanize him in a sport often dominated by superhuman narratives.
From Leader to Mentor: The Unsung Role of Experience
One thing that immediately stands out is Kruijswijk’s seamless transition from a Grand Tour contender to a domestique. As Visma grew into a powerhouse, he stepped into the background, supporting riders like Jonas Vingegaard and Simon Yates. This shift is often overlooked, but it’s a critical part of team dynamics. In my opinion, the role of the experienced rider—the one who knows when to push, when to pace, and when to sacrifice—is undervalued in cycling. Kruijswijk’s ability to fill this role while maintaining his own competitive edge is a masterclass in professionalism. It raises a deeper question: how do we measure success in cycling? Is it only about personal victories, or does it include the quiet contributions that elevate an entire team?
The Vuelta: A Poetic Final Chapter
The fact that Kruijswijk’s final Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España, begins near his home in Monaco feels almost scripted. It’s a detail that I find especially interesting because it adds a layer of personal closure to his career. Cycling is a sport where the road is often metaphorical—a journey of sacrifice, endurance, and self-discovery. For Kruijswijk, this Vuelta isn’t just another race; it’s a homecoming. What this really suggests is that even in a sport as grueling as cycling, there’s room for poetry. The symbolism of starting his last race on familiar roads is a reminder that, at its core, cycling is as much about the human story as it is about the physical challenge.
The Broader Implications: Loyalty in a Transient Sport
If you take a step back and think about it, Kruijswijk’s career challenges the norms of modern cycling. In an era where teams are often seen as stepping stones and contracts are negotiated with cold pragmatism, his loyalty feels like a relic of a bygone era. But it also raises questions about the future of the sport. Will we see more riders like Kruijswijk, or is his story an outlier? From my perspective, his retirement marks the end of an era—not just for him, but for the idea of long-term team loyalty in cycling. As teams become more corporate and riders more transient, stories like his will become increasingly rare.
Conclusion: A Legacy Beyond Podiums
As Kruijswijk prepares for his final Vuelta, I’m left reflecting on what his career truly represents. It’s not just about the podium finishes or the near-misses; it’s about the quiet consistency, the willingness to adapt, and the ability to find meaning in both victory and defeat. Personally, I think his legacy will be less about the races he won and more about the way he approached the sport. In a world where success is often measured in metrics, Kruijswijk reminds us that sometimes, the most important victories are the ones that don’t show up in the record books.
So, as we bid farewell to one of cycling’s most enduring figures, let’s not just celebrate his achievements. Let’s also appreciate the values he embodied—loyalty, resilience, and the quiet strength to keep going, even when the road gets tough. Because in the end, that’s what makes a career truly remarkable.
