Harry Steevens

Dutch cyclist Harry Steevens had a good start to his career, winning several amateur races in the Netherlands in the early 1960s. In 1964 Steevens was selected to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing 40th in the road race, only 0.13 seconds behind the race winner. After the Games he then won the 1965 edition of the Olympia’s Tour stage race, along with other victories in one-day races in the Netherlands, and silver in the team time trial at the 1966 UCI Road World Championships.

In 1967 Steevens turned professional, finishing third in the Amstel Gold race, before winning the event the following year. He continued to be consistent in races in northern Europe throughout the decade, recording multiple wins and podium finishes. In 1970 he made his début at the Tour de France, where he finished second on the eighth stage of the race. Steevens rode the Tour again the following year, but finished outside the time limit on stage six. The same year he also finished third on the fourth stage of the Vuelta a España.