Henk Steevens facts for kids
Steevens (1953)
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| Personal information | |||
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| Born | 4 October 1931 | ||
| Died | 29 May 2020 (aged 88) | ||
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Henk Steevens (born October 4, 1931, in Geleen, died May 29, 2020) was a professional cyclist from the Netherlands. He rode his bike professionally from 1953 to 1955.
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A Cycling Star
Henk Steevens was a talented cyclist who won some important races. He won the Grand Prix (GP) of Aken and the Grote Continental Prijs of Hannover. These were big wins in his career.
The "Three of Elsloo"
Henk Steevens was famous for being part of a special group called the "three of Elsloo". This group included him, Sjefke Janssen, and Jan Nolten. All three cyclists came from the small town of Elsloo in the Netherlands. It was amazing that three of the best Dutch cyclists at that time came from a town with only about 4,500 people!
In 1953, all three of them were chosen to be part of the Dutch team for the 1953 Tour de France. They were all just 21 years old.
His Tour de France Experience
At first, Henk Steevens wasn't sure if he wanted to race in the 1953 Tour de France. But his team manager, Kees Pellenaars, convinced him to join. Pellenaars told him it would be a great way "to learn".
During the first part of the race, Henk faced some challenges. In the very first stage, his bike got a flat tire. Later, in the fifth stage, he fell off his bike. Even though he fell, he was tough and managed to finish that stage. However, Henk could not finish the entire Tour de France. He had to stop after six stages.
He was considered for the 1954 Tour de France, but he wasn't chosen for the team that year.
After Racing
After Henk Steevens stopped racing professionally, he stayed involved in cycling. He became a team manager for cycling teams like "Ovis" and "Driessen Stoffen". He also worked as a staff member for the TVM cycling team.
Henk's brother, Harrie Steevens, was also a cyclist.
Henk Steevens passed away in May 2020 at the age of 88.
Teams Henk Steevens Rode For
- 1953:
Locomotief - Remington - Pontiac (The Netherlands) - 1954: Maggi (The Netherlands)
- 1955: Nescafé (The Netherlands)
