Erik De Vlaeminck

Erik De Vlaeminck (23 March 1945 − 4 December 2015) was a Belgian cyclist who became cyclo-cross world-champion seven times (in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973), a record equalled only by Marianne Vos.

Erik De Vlaeminck
De Vlaeminck at the 1970 Amstel Gold Race
Personal information
Full nameErik De Vlaeminck
Born(1945-03-23)23 March 1945
Eeklo, Belgium
Died4 December 2015(2015-12-04) (aged 70)
Eeklo, Belgium
Team information
DisciplineCyclo-cross/Road
RoleRider
Major wins
World Cyclo-cross Champion
(1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973)

Belgian National Cyclo-cross Champion

(1967, 1969, 1971, 1972)

Tour of Belgium

General Classification (1969)

Professional career

De Vlaeminck missed 1967 only because his bike was damaged during the race. He also became Belgian champion four times (1967, 1969, 1971, 1972) at a time when there were so many good Belgian riders that the domestic championship was often harder than the world-championship.

He also performed creditably in road races, including the Tour de France. In 1969 he won the Tour of Belgium and a stage in the Tour de France.

De Vlaeminck never failed a drugs test in his racing career but was treated after it for amphetamine addiction. Many stories circulate about his supposed wild behaviour after races and after his career was over. When he returned to racing, the Belgian federation would offer him a licence for only a day at a time until it saw how his life would progress. De Vlaeminck subsequently refused to speak about this period of his life.

His re-establishment was complete, however, because he became the national cyclo-cross coach and led Belgium to a dominating period of international success. He always complained, however, that while cyclo-cross brought Belgium its world championship medals, it was to road racing that the bulk of the funds were given.

Personal life

De Vlaeminck was the brother of Roger De Vlaeminck. His son Geert died of a heart attack in a cyclo-cross race while his father was watching.

In later life, De Vlaeminck had Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. He died on 4 December 2015 at the age of 70.[1]

Major results

See also

References
  1. "Zevenvoudig wereldkampioen veldrijden Eric De Vlaeminck is overleden". sporza. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
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