Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo) at the 2022 Tour de France (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Jasper Stuyven will probably never be as successful or famous in Flanders as Remco Evenepoel or Wout van Aert, but that is not a problem for the chocolate loving Classics rider from Leuven. Stuyven is his own man; carving out his own career with victories at Milan-San Remo, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and elsewhere, all while being true to himself.
Stuyven is talented, intelligent and one of the most respected riders in the WorldTour peloton. Just don’t ask him a dumb question when he’s just lost a chance of a stage victory at the Tour de France or in a Classic. That is when his determination to win emerges and no media training or tongue-biting diplomacy can hold him back.
He has famously given Flemish journalists both barrels on several occasions.
“I get told that I should show respect and that I should do some media training, but I am who I am and I’ll always be authentic,” Stuyven says with pride in a joint interview with Cyclingnews and Velonews .
“I am not going to apologise when I’m really disappointed. At that point, so soon after a race finish, it’s me, it’s a raw Jasper, I’m not going to apologise for that or fake it and risk being told I’m a fake. If the media asks a stupid question, or phrase it wrong, then I think a rider can lose their temper. And on the other hand, […]
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