| Jaak van Velthoven | |
| Nationality | Belgian |
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| Motocross career | |
| Active years | 1970s |
| Teams | Husqvarna, Yamaha, KTM |
| Grands Prix | |
| Championships | |
| Wins | 5 |
| GP debut | |
| First GP win | |
Jaak van Velthoven is a Belgian former professional motocross racer.[1] He competed in the F.I.M. 500cc motocross world championships during the 1970s. Van Velthoven's best individual performance was a third place in the 500cc World Championship in 1973 with the Yamaha factory racing team. He helped Yamaha develop a revolutionary motorcycle rear suspension that utilized a single shock absorber instead of the traditional dual shock absobers.
Van Velthoven also rode for the Husqvarna and KTM factory racing teams. He was a member of four winning Belgian teams at the Motocross des Nations in 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1977. Standing well over 6 feet tall, it was not difficult to distinguish him in the pack and he was often referred to as 'Long tall Jaak'.