# Gert Steegmans

Gert Steegmans (born 30 September 1980 in Hasselt) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer who last rode for UCI ProTeam Lidl–Trek. He was noted for a strong finishing sprint and could compete in the sprint with fellow Belgian cyclist, and teammate, Tom Boonen.

## Career overview

Although Steegmans was already known in Belgium, he gained more popularity outside Belgium as he piloted Robbie McEwen to two stage wins during the 2006 Tour de France.
During the second stage of the 2007 Tour de France, a Liquigas rider fell sideways in the last 3 kilometres causing others to fall. Around 20 riders fell blocking the entire road and leaving approximately 30 riders to sprint for the victory, eventually taken by Steegmans in his home country ahead of his compatriot and teammate Tom Boonen, who took over the green jersey by coming second in the stage.
On 6 July 2008, it was announced Steegmans signed a two-year contract with Tinkoff Credit Systems. In the Tour de France, he won the prestigious stage at Champs-Élysées. Team Tinkoff later folded under that name, and the management and ridership re-emerged as Team Katusha.
Steegmans made headlines in the weeks leading up to the 2009 Tour de France with his refusal to sign an anti-doping agreement which Team Katusha was trying to get all its riders to sign. The agreement called for any rider who tested positive for a doping substance to pay a fine of five times their annual salary. Steegmans persisted in his refusal even after an ultimatum handed down by the team, which resulted in his not being selected for Katusha's Tour de France squad. Katusha and Steegmans dissolved his contract on 5 August after Steegmans' continuing refusal to sign the anti-doping charter. Team RadioShack announced that he would be joining the team in 2010 starting with the Tour Down Under in late January.
On 7 March 2010, during the time-trial for the Paris–Nice race, he was injured in a whirlwind accident, breaking a collarbone.
In December 2014 Steegmans was announced as a member of Lidl–Trek for the 2015 season. After struggling with injuries, he announced his immediate retirement in July 2015.

## Personal

Steegmans is married to former runway model and Tour de France podium girl Laura Leturgie, and they have one child, daughter Maélya (born on 6 June 2011).

## Major results
### 1996

    1st Road race, National Under-17 Championships

### 1998

    1st Time trial, National Under-19 Championships

### 2000

    4th GP Wielerrevue
    7th Hasselt–Spa–Hasselt

### 2002

    1st Time trial, National Under-23 Championships
    1st Zesbergenprijs Harelbeke
    8th Hasselt–Spa–Hasselt

### 2003

    8th Rund um den Flughafen Köln/Bonn

### 2004

    5th Grote Prijs Jef Scherens

### 2005

    1st Nationale Sluitingsprijs
    1st Stage 1 Tour de Picardie
    6th Overall Circuit Franco-Belge

### 2006

    1st Stage 2 Tour de Picardie
    1st Stage 3 Four Days of Dunkirk
    2nd Overall Volta ao Algarve
       1st Stages 3 & 4
    3rd Scheldeprijs
    5th Overall Tour of Belgium
       1st Stage 5
    6th Doha GP
    6th Omloop Het Volk
    6th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne

### 2007

    1st Overall Circuit Franco-Belge
       1st Stages 2 & 4
    1st Tour de Rijke
    1st Stage 2 Tour de France
    1st Stage 1 Volta ao Algarve
    1st Stage 3 Three Days of De Panne
    1st Stage 4 Four Days of Dunkirk
    1st Stage 1 (TTT) Tour of Qatar
    3rd Scheldeprijs
    5th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne

### 2008

    Paris–Nice
       1st Stages 1 & 2
    1st Stage 21 Tour de France
    1st Stage 2 Four Days of Dunkirk
    1st Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen
    1st Trofeo Calvià
    1st Profronde van Friesland
    1st Halle–Ingooigem
    2nd Paris–Brussels
    3rd Trofeo Cala Millor
    4th Trofeo Mallorca

### 2009

    1st Stage 2 Vuelta a Andalucía
    1st Trofeo Mallorca

### 2010

    3rd Paris–Tours
    4th Binche–Tournai–Binche
    8th Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
    9th Overall Circuit Franco-Belge

### 2011

    1st Nokere Koerse
    10th Overall Tour of Qatar

### 2012

    4th Overall Tour of Qatar

### 2014

    3rd Overall Three Days of De Panne
    4th Nokere Koerse