Steven de Jongh
A gritty and intelligent Dutch cyclist who transitioned from a reliable domestique to a celebrated classics winner and later a respected sports director.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Dutch cyclist·Birthday: November 25·Generation X
Biography
Steven de Jongh's career is a classic story of cycling grit and tactical evolution. Emerging in the late 1990s, he initially served as a loyal and powerful domestique, the workhorse of the team, for squads like Rabobank. His strength in the cobbled classics of Northern Europe was undeniable, and his patience paid off with a major solo victory in the 2001 Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, a prestigious one-day race. Known for his resilience in bad weather and sharp racing brain, de Jongh became a trusted road captain. After retiring from competition, he seamlessly moved into the team car, serving as a sports director for the powerful Team Sky (now Ineos Grenadiers), where his experience and calm demeanor helped guide riders to numerous Grand Tour victories. His journey from supporting rider to race winner to behind-the-scenes strategist outlines the full arc of a life dedicated to professional cycling.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Steven was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Steven Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Steven's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Belgian semi-classic Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne in 2001 with a decisive solo breakaway.
- Served as a key domestique and road captain for the Rabobank team during the early 2000s.
- Became a successful sports director for Team Sky/Ineos Grenadiers, contributing to multiple Tour de France victories.
Did You Know?
His victory in Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne was his only major professional win, but it was a significant one.
He is the father of professional cyclist Senne de Jongh.
As a sports director, he was often the calm voice in the earpiece of riders like Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
“My job was to put my captain in the best position to win.”
