Rik Van Steenbergen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Medal record
Rik Van Steenbergen
Competitor for  Belgium
Road bicycle racing
World Championships
Gold	1949 Copenhagen	Elite Road Race
Gold	1956 Copenhagen	Elite Road Race
Gold	1957 Waregem	Elite Men's Race
Bronze	1946 Zürich	Elite Road Race

Rik Van Steenbergen (9 September 1924 – May 15, 2003) was a Belgian racing cyclist, considered to be one of the best among the great number of successful Belgian cyclists.

[edit] Career

Van Steenbergen was born in Arendonk in a poor family. He started cycling as a professional during World War II in 1942, after being an amateur since he was 14. The next year, he won his first important races, and became Belgian road cycling champion. In 1944, he won the Ronde van Vlaanderen Classic, which he won again two years later.

During his career, which lasted until 1966, Van Steenbergen won several more classics: Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Brussels and Milan-Sanremo. He also won the World Road Cycling Championships three times (1949, 1956 and 1957), equalling the (still standing) record of Alfredo Binda. His last world title, a year after his second, was won in front of a home crowd. In addition, he placed third in the first post-war championships in 1946.

Van Steenbergen also excelled on the track, and won 40 Six-day events, and improved two world records. His track capabilities made him an excellent road sprinter. However, he usually had difficulty climbing, which prevented him from winning major stage races. He nevertheless placed 2nd in the 1951 Giro d'Italia. Some suggest he could have competed for victory in stage races had he concentrated on them, instead of racing almost every race he could enter. It is estimated Van Steenbergen won slightly fewer than 1000 races, though accounts differ widely.

Van Steenbergen died in Antwerp after a prolonged sickness at the age of 78. The funeral was in the Sint Pauluskerk of Westmalle, attended by about 2000 people, including Eddy Merckx, Rik van Looy, Roger De Vlaeminck, Walter Godefroot, Johan De Muynck, Lucien van Impe, Freddy Maertens and Briek Schotte. The UCI president Hein Verbruggen and Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt also attended.

[edit] Career highlights

• 3 World Road Cycling Championships (1949, 1956, 1957)
• 8 major classics wins (Ronde van Vlaanderen x 2, Paris-Roubaix x 2, Flèche Wallonne x 2, Paris-Bruxelles, Milan-Sanremo)
• 7 Belgian Road Championships
• 4 Stage wins in the Tour de France
• 15 Stage wins in the Giro d'Italia (including second overall 1951)
• 6 Stage wins in the Vuelta a España
• 40 Six Day wins
• 6 European Track Championships
• 9 Belgian Track Championships

[edit] Major Road Wins

Sporting positions
Preceded by Achiel Buysse	Winner of the Ronde van Vlaanderen 1944	Succeeded by Sylvain Grysolle
Preceded by Sylvain Grysolle	Winner of the Ronde van Vlaanderen 1946	Succeeded by Emiel Faignaert
Preceded by Georges Claes	Winner of Paris-Roubaix 1948	Succeeded by Serse Coppi & André Mahé
Preceded by Briek Schotte	World Road Racing Champion 1949	Succeeded by Briek Schotte
Preceded by Antonio Bevilacqua	Winner of Paris-Roubaix 1952	Succeeded by Germain Derijcke
Preceded by Lorezno Petrucci	Winner of Milan-Sanremo 1954	Succeeded by Germain Derijcke
Preceded by Stan Ockers	World Road Racing Champion 1956-1957	Succeeded by Ercole Baldini