"I still have the motivation to reach my best level" - Steven Kruijswijk isn't ready to end his journey with Team Visma | Lease a Bike yet

Steven Kruijswijk is now one of the more experienced riders within Team Visma | Lease a Bike. This week, the 37-year-old competed at the Tour of Oman, riding alongside younger teammates such as 21-year-olds Cian Uijtdebroeks and Olav Kooij. Despite the age gap, he enjoys working with the squad’s rising talents.

“I am now twice the White Jersey compared to most riders. But it is fun with those young guys, you know. They are all very motivated, and they can take their chance here without too much pressure. And hopefully I can guide them a bit in that. Besides that, I also want to work on my own form for this season,” Kruijswijk told Wielerflits.

Kruijswijk has opted for a different approach to his season this year, choosing to start racing earlier rather than focusing on an extended winter training block. “It is also a bit of a search for me. We are using a slightly different approach than in other years, but I asked to start my season a bit earlier, instead of training for a very long winter. Also with a view to the Giro later, it is a good time to start. It is also nice to do something different than always Tenerife.”

As one of the most senior riders on the team, Kruijswijk plays a key role in guiding young talents like Uijtdebroeks. “In that respect, I am a bit of an extension between the riders and the team management. Cian has the talent and it is now up to him and the team to let that blossom and express it in results. It is definitely there and we may have to wait a little longer than he had hoped. Cian is very eager to learn and wants it very much, maybe sometimes a little too much. But I can certainly help him if I see pitfalls that he can fall into.”

Having been with the team since 2010, Kruijswijk has witnessed its transformation into one of the most dominant squads in the peloton. He played a crucial role in their success and even stood on the podium at the 2019 Tour de France. However, his role has since evolved.

“In recent years I have evolved into more of a supporting rider. That does not mean that I do not still try to reach my best level to contribute to the successes of the team. I can still reach that level, but it is certainly no longer my role to ensure those successes myself. I no longer have those ambitions, but it is the ambitions of our team that I have to help realize.”

Kruijswijk acknowledges the strength of the team and understands his place within it. “The team has become very strong. We have a two-time Tour winner in our ranks with Jonas Vingegaard, we have Wout van Aert and a number of very big talents. Then it's not up to me to say that I want to take my own chance. Actually, I'm really happy that I can still participate in the team.”

Looking back on his long tenure with the squad, Kruijswijk takes pride in their journey to the top. “If you see where we come from and where we are now, that is very nice. Of course there were many great successes, but we also know very well that it is not all self-evident. After a year like last season you see that very well. But that is part of it and I am very happy that I have played my entire career here.”

While he remains motivated, he admits that the ups and downs of the sport, particularly injuries, have given him moments of reflection. "It's been a few years with ups and downs. You can't always control that. But I still have the motivation to reach my best level. Otherwise, I would have stopped a long time ago at my age. The motivation is still there and I'm still looking forward to a new season."

"Although I have to admit that those crashes do make you think. You think about a lot of things as a cyclist. About the sport in general, about your future and whether it's all still worth it. But still, I always find myself one hundred percent motivated to rehabilitate and fight back. As long as I still have that feeling, I know that I still enjoy racing."

As for his future, Kruijswijk remains open-minded. “How long do I want to continue? That is a good question. I do not have an end point in mind yet, but given my age, I am of course at the end of my career. It will be a great season with the Giro as my highlight. We have great goals there and I can work a bit on all levels. Hopefully we can achieve a lot of success there with Olav, Wout and Simon Yates.”