Dutchman Steven De Jongh, who rides for the Quick-Step team, has decided to end his cycling career. A couple of weeks before the Tour de France he took the tough decision to quit cycling at the end of the season.
“Cycling has been my life for a long time, so the decision wasn’t easy. I’ll become 36 this year and it’s time to focus more on my private life and on my 2 kids,” said De Jongh.
De Jongh’s biggest wins with Quick-Step have been Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, the Tour de Rijke, a stage in the Driedaagse de Panne-Koksijde and the Delta Profronde van Midden-Zeeland. In his 15 year career he has amassed more then 50 victories.
During his long career De Jongh often served as a mentor young riders on the team and will look to continue working within the sport.
“I quit, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be active in cycling anymore. In what kind of function I don’t know yet. I have some time to take a decision about it. Till that time I will be a rider 100%,” said the Dutchman.