Having gone out training on his own, the emergency services found Steven De Jongh crashed off the road. He appears to have lay injured for about five hours. Above, right, in the Trek-Segafredo team car Frank de Boer, the former Dutch pro soccer player.
Steven De Jongh lay injured for hours after cycling crash
Former pro rider turned directeur sportif Steven De Jongh has had a lucky escape after a nightmare crash.
He went on training alone on Monday morning and failed to return home as expected.
His concerned wife raised the alarm. She called the emergency services and put an appeal out on social media.
De Jongh was found unconscious in a ravine, having crashed into it. He had lay injured and unconscious, apparently for about five hours, before he was spotted by members of a search party.
A helicopter was part of the search operation, with the police. It swung into action thanks to De Jongh’s wife, Renee Meijer, acting quickly to raise the alarm.
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A directeur with Trek-Segafredo, which counts Irish rider Ryan Mullen on its roster, De Jongh was taken to hospital in Spain where the crash occurred.
His team reports that he is conscious in hospital. He has suffered a concussion but no broken bones.
He had gone out for a bike ride at about 10.30am from his home in Girona, northern Spain.
However, when he did not return home after several hours and made not contact with anybody, his wife sprang into action.
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And it sounds like her quick actions have averted what could have been a different end to the incident. She reported him missing and also appealed to the public in the region to look out for him.
? Update on @stevendejongh ?
Steven did not sustain more serious injuries other than a concussion in his crash. He complains that “everything hurts right now” but thankfully no broken bones have been revealed.
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) October 15, 2018
De Jongh's wife initially sent out a message: "People of Twitter help me please. My husband Steven De Jongh went on his bike and is missing since 10.30. Around La Ganga area.
"If you are there help me please to find him. He went on a Trek bike in a Trek suit. Retweet please."
Later she Tweeted again with clear relief: "Thank you kind people, the helicopter has found @stevendejongh . More news later. He breaths and has a pulse."
Steven De Jongh (44) is from Holland and rode as a pro cyclist for 15½ years. During his time in the peloton he racked up 30 pro wins.
His victories included the Tour of Sweden overall, Schaal Schels three times and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne twice.
He started his career as a stagiaire with TVM Farm Frites in 1995 and stayed with the team until 1999. There followed a six-year stint with Rabobank.
De Jongh then rode with QuickStep for four years to 2009. And he ended his career with one year, 2010, in the Team Sky fold; during its maiden season.
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