Steven Kruijswijk settles into domestique role, but still wonders on his own potential - "I think a podium in the Giro or Vuelta is still possible"

Steven Kruijswijk is no unknown to riding near the front in Grand Tours, however as he settled into a domestique role at Jumbo-Visma his own ambitions lowered slightly. However, the 35-year old admits he believes he's still capable of fighting for podiums at the three-week races.

"If I want to ride for myself, I have to go to a team that still thinks it's important that you ride top 5 in the Tour de France," Kruijswijk admitted in the Live Slow Ride Fast podcast. "I think I can still do that, but the ambitions are much higher at Jumbo-Visma.”

Kruijswijk has finished in the podium of the 2019 Tour de France, and seven times in the Top10 of Grand Tours. Most famously, he led the 2016 Giro d'Italia until stage 19 where he crashed into a snow bank and ended up losing the pink jersey over the crash. “I would also like to go to the Giro again," he reveals however. 

"I will no longer ride the Tour as the ultimate leader, certainly not for this team. I know what I still have in me, but Jumbo-Visma has talents in Primoz and Jonas that have it in them to really win. If I am in top form and can fully focus on myself, I think a podium in the Giro or Vuelta is still possible. The question is whether the team also has that ambition," Kruijswijk continues.

As Jumbo-Visma come off several Vuelta a Espana wins with Primoz Roglic and a Tour de France win with Jonas Vingegaard, the ambitions surpass a possible podium. Both Roglic and Vingegaard will aim for GC victories at the Giro and Tour respectfully, and Kruijswijk has not yet decided on his schedule for the year.

“This team is also very professional and the question is whether I can work in another way. I am now 35 years old and I am very happy with the team. It is a nice group and that way I also like to race like I did last Tour de France. In any case, I want to continue with the level of last year. The idea of drawing for another two years and then it's done doesn't live with me, no," he concluded.