Jasper Stuyven: I’ll always be authentic

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, that's also the beauty of the sport, that we are approachable immediately after a finish. People get to see what we are really like.”

Speaking his mind about Evenepoel and Van Aert

In 2021, when Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert faltered and fell out at the World Championships at home in Belgium, Stuyven showed his talent and character yet again. He came from the main chase group to finish fourth behind Julian Alaphilippe and the other medal winners, saving the home nation’s pride and producing a performance he could be proud of.

Evenepoel and Van Aert could not say the same and when their spat went public, Stuyven again stood up and was not afraid to call out the young Belgian or express his disappointment in Van Aert. It was another show of character. 

“I think we all soon realised that we could only lose that day, there was so much hype and expectation before the race. It was a disappointment for Belgium and also for me to not be on the podium, but looking back now, I think it was one of my most beautiful days on the bike,” Stuyven says of 2021, when he savoured rather than suffered in his home World Championships. 

“Wout and Remco are two of the best riders in the world. It's not that surprising if you have a home Worlds and you lose, there's always a bit of frustration, but I think we all learn from that.”

Thanks to the success of Van Aert and then Evenepoel in 2022, the debacle of 2021 has quickly been forgotten. Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout gave the two duel leadership for this year’s World Championships and Evenepoel took advantage of his freedom to pull off a long-range attack and win the rainbow jersey. 

Stuyven was openly critical of Evenepoel after the 2021 World Championships but can now see how he has matured as a rider and a person. 

“I don’t really know him well but he has become more of a complete adult person and athlete and everything together, so I don't think we need to look to the past, we need to look forward,” he says. 

“What Remco has achieved is very big, it's quite impressive. It's nice to see. I’m happy for him.”

Part of the Trek-Segafredo family for the years ahead

Stuyven has a similar older brother relationship with teammate and cycling alter ego Mads Pedersen.

The Dane had a far more successful 2022 season, winning a stage at the Tour de France and three at the Vuelta a Espana, while Stuyven’s Tour was more frustrating as he chased that elusive stage victory from a breakaway, leading to his latest tense finish line interviews.

Stuyven’s 2022 spring campaign was solid but unsuccessful, with ninth at the Minerva Classic Brugge-De Panne, fourth behind Biniam Girmay at Gent-Wevelgem and ninth at Paris-Roubaix. He was only 50th at the Tour of Flanders after missing Milan-San Remo due to illness.

Yet Stuyvens palmarès confirm his talents and potential. He was a junior world champion in 2009, won the junior Paris-Roubaix in 2010, and earned his place at Trek-Segafredo while at Axel Merckx’s development team in 2021 and 2013. His Classic victories Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2020 and at Milan-San Remo in 2021 were well deserved, not fortuitous.

Stuyven has not won a race since Milan-San Remo in 2021 but he did secure 15 top-ten results, often when riding in tandem with Pedersen or fellow Belgian Edward Theuns. For a sixth season he was in the top 100 most successful riders in the peloton.

Now 30, after nine years at Trek-Segafredo and with a new contract until the end of 2025 recently agreed, Stuyven is a cornerstone of the team. He leads Trek-Segafredo’s Classics squad alongside Pedersen, Quinn Simmons, fellow Belgian Edward Theuns and a host of talented young riders. He also has a mentoring and captain’s role in the team.

Trek-Segafredo had little doubt about extending his contract and Stuyven was happy to take his years with the team into double figures.

“I’m not a rider who wins a lot but I’ve made my progress and then last year was a very successful year. It's just nice to make my career journey together with Trek-Segafredo, it's nice to feel at home,” Stuyven says.

“I've been at Trek since the beginning. It’s easy to think the grass is greener on the other side and I had some opportunities to go elsewhere but I always stayed. They have believed in me from the beginning and I believe in the team.”

Stuyven enjoyed what he describes as a feeling of ‘pure happiness’ when he attacked on the descent of the Poggio in the finale of the 2021 Milan-San Remo and stayed away from the chasers to win in Via Roma with his arms in the air.

He has suffered disappointment since then but he is still hungry and ambitious for the future.

“I'd like to win more races and I'm still hunting and stage winning at the Tour. And another Classics win would be great but it's not easy. I've been quite spoiled in the last two years by always winning a Classic. This year was not great but that doesn't mean things will continue that way in 2023. I’m optimistic and still ambitious.”