Gert Steegmans
Gert Steegmans (born 30 September 1980 in Hasselt) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer who last rode for UCI ProTeam Lidl–Trek. He was noted for a strong finishing sprint and could compete in the sprint with fellow Belgian cyclist, and teammate, Tom Boonen.
 Steegmans at the 2008 Four Days of Dunkirk. | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gert Steegmans |
| Nickname | Steggels |
| Born | 30 September 1980 Hasselt, Belgium |
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Sprinter |
| Amateur teams | |
| 2000 | Mapei–Latexco |
| 2001 | Domo–Farm Frites (stagiaire) |
| 2002 | Domo-Latexco |
| Professional teams | |
| 2003–2006 | Lotto–Domo |
| 2007–2008 | Quick-Step–Innergetic |
| 2009 | Team Katusha |
| 2010 | Team RadioShack |
| 2011–2014 | Quick-Step |
| 2015 | Trek Factory Racing |
| Major wins | |
| Tour de France, 2 stages Paris–Nice, 2 stages | |
Career overview
Although Steegmans was already known in Belgium, he gained more popularity outside Belgium as he piloted Robbie McEwen to two stage wins during the 2006 Tour de France.
During the second stage of the 2007 Tour de France, a Liquigas rider fell sideways in the last 3 kilometres causing others to fall. Around 20 riders fell blocking the entire road and leaving approximately 30 riders to sprint for the victory, eventually taken by Steegmans in his home country ahead of his compatriot and teammate Tom Boonen, who took over the green jersey by coming second in the stage.
On 6 July 2008, it was announced Steegmans signed a two-year contract with Tinkoff Credit Systems.[1] In the Tour de France, he won the prestigious stage at Champs-Élysées. Team Tinkoff later folded under that name, and the management and ridership re-emerged as Team Katusha.
Steegmans made headlines in the weeks leading up to the 2009 Tour de France with his refusal to sign an anti-doping agreement which Team Katusha was trying to get all its riders to sign. The agreement called for any rider who tested positive for a doping substance to pay a fine of five times their annual salary. Steegmans persisted in his refusal even after an ultimatum handed down by the team, which resulted in his not being selected for Katusha's Tour de France squad.[2] Katusha and Steegmans dissolved his contract on 5 August after Steegmans' continuing refusal to sign the anti-doping charter.[3] Team RadioShack announced that he would be joining the team in 2010[4] starting with the Tour Down Under in late January.[5]
On 7 March 2010, during the time-trial for the Paris–Nice race, he was injured in a whirlwind accident, breaking a collarbone.[6]
In December 2014 Steegmans was announced as a member of Lidl–Trek for the 2015 season.[7] After struggling with injuries, he announced his immediate retirement in July 2015.[8]
Personal
Steegmans is married to former runway model and Tour de France podium girl Laura Leturgie,[9] and they have one child, daughter Maélya (born on 6 June 2011).
Major results
- 1996
- 1st
National Under-17 Road Race Championships - 1998
- 1st National Under-19 Time Trial Championships
- 2000
- 4th GP Wielerrevue
- 7th Hasselt–Spa–Hasselt
- 2002
- 1st National Under-23 Time Trial Championships
- 1st Zesbergenprijs Harelbeke
- 8th Hasselt–Spa–Hasselt
- 2003
- 8th Rund um den Flughafen Köln/Bonn
- 2004
- 5th Grote Prijs Jef Scherens
- 2005
- 1st Nationale Sluitingsprijs
- 1st Stage 1 Tour de Picardie
- 6th Overall Circuit Franco-Belge
- 2006
- 1st Stage 2 Tour de Picardie
- 1st Stage 3 Four Days of Dunkirk
- 2nd Overall Volta ao Algarve
- 1st Stages 3 & 4
- 3rd Scheldeprijs
- 5th Overall Tour of Belgium
- 1st Stage 5
- 6th Doha GP
- 6th Omloop Het Volk
- 6th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
- 2007
- 1st Overall Circuit Franco-Belge
- 1st Stages 2 & 4
- 1st Tour de Rijke
- 1st Stage 2 Tour de France
- 1st Stage 1 Volta ao Algarve
- 1st Stage 3 Three Days of De Panne
- 1st Stage 4 Four Days of Dunkirk
- 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Tour of Qatar
- 3rd Scheldeprijs
- 5th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
- 2008
- Paris–Nice
- 1st Stages 1 & 2
- 1st Stage 21 Tour de France
- 1st Stage 2 Four Days of Dunkirk
- 1st Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen
- 1st Trofeo Calvià
- 1st Profronde van Friesland
- 1st Halle–Ingooigem
- 2nd Paris–Brussels
- 3rd Trofeo Cala Millor
- 4th Trofeo Mallorca
- 2009
- 1st Stage 2 Vuelta a Andalucía
- 1st Trofeo Mallorca[10]
- 2010
- 3rd Paris–Tours
- 4th Binche–Tournai–Binche
- 8th Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
- 9th Overall Circuit Franco-Belge
- 2011
- 1st Nokere Koerse
- 10th Overall Tour of Qatar
- 2012
- 4th Overall Tour of Qatar
- 2014
- 3rd Overall Three Days of De Panne
- 4th Nokere Koerse
References
- "AFP: Gert Steegmans to ditch Quick.Step for Tinkoff". Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
- Stokes, Shane (22 June 2009). "Steegmans won't sign Katusha's anti-doping agreement". Cycling News. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
- Cycling News (5 August 2009). "Steegmans, Katusha dissolve contract". Cycling News. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- "RadioShack Cycling announcements continue". Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
- Gregor Brown (14 November 2009). "Armstrong in Bruyneel's early Tour Down Under team selection". Cycling News. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- "Belgian rider in whirlwind crash". BBC News. 7 March 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- Clarke, Stuart (1 December 2014). "Trek Factory Racing finalise 2015 lineup with Gert Steegmans signing". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- "Verrassend: Gert Steegmans stopt met wielrennen". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- "Beauté du Tour : Laura Leturgie". Le Blog de l'Ardoisier. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- Katusha Team Blog "Trofeo Mallorca 2009: Double win for Katusha ", 2009-02-08. Retrieved on 2009-02-08.
