Ryszard Szurkowski

Ryszard Jan Szurkowski (12 January 1946 – 1 February 2021) was a Polish road bicycle racer, widely regarded as a legend of the sport in Poland.[1]

Ryszard Szurkowski
Personal information
Full nameRyszard Jan Szurkowski
Born(1946-01-12)12 January 1946
Świebodów, Poland
Died1 February 2021(2021-02-01) (aged 75)
Radom, Poland
Team information
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Major wins
Medal record
Representing  Poland
Olympic Games
Men's road bicycle racing
Olympic Games
1972 Munich Team Road Race
1976 Montreal Team Road Race
World Cycling Amateur Championships
1973 Barcelona Individual Road Race
1973 Barcelona Team Road Race
1975 Mettet Team Road Race
1974 Montreal Individual Road Race
Copy of Szurkowski's medal and autograph in Sports Star Avenue in Dziwnów

Career

He was a silver medallist in the team trial at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics,[2][3] and also won three gold medals at the World Cycling Amateur Championships, two in 1973 (including one in the individual road race) and one in 1975. He won the Peace Race four times, in 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1975.[1] He also came first twice in Dookoła Mazowsza, in 1977 and 1978.

His son, Norbert, died in the September 11 attacks.

In 2018, Szurkowski crashed during a bike race in Germany, suffering serious injuries, including a crushed spinal cord that left him paralysed. After five months of therapy, he regained some of the sensation in his toes.[1][4]

He died on 1 February 2021.[1]

References
  1. Kamil Wolnicki (1 February 2021), Odeszła legenda polskiego sportu. W ostatnich latach walczył o zdrowie (in Polish), onet.pl
  2. databaseOlympics Archived 16 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Olympics at Sports-Reference.com
  4. Zmarł Ryszard Szurkowski, najbardziej utytułowany polski kolarz. Miał 75 lat (in Polish), TVP Sport, 1 February 2021


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