Brian Holm
Encyclopedia
Brian Holm Sørensen is a retired Danish
professional rider in road bicycle racing
from 1986 to 1998, and rode for Team Telekom from 1993 to 1997, and was part of the team that brought his fellow Dane Bjarne Riis
to victory in the 1996 Tour de France
. Brian Holm rode in the Tour de France
seven times, and completed each one.
. He has been a reliable domestique
for most of his career, and also sports 11 individual victories, including a national championship (1990), the one-day classic Paris–Brussels and the semi-classic Paris–Camembert.
After his active career, Brian Holm has acted as a sport director, first for Danish pro-teams Team Acceptcard (1999) and Team Fakta
, then for the Danish national team, and from 2003 for Team Telekom (sponsors changed several times) until 2011 when the team, latterly known as HTC-Highroad, came to an end.
Holm is cited as a motivational influence on prominent HTC-Highroad cyclist, Mark Cavendish. During the 2011 UCI Road World Championship in Copenhagen, won by Cavendish, he reportedly rode in the team support car with Great Britain coach Rod Ellingworth.
In his 2002 autobiography, he admitted having used doping
during the 1990s. This did not cost him his job as manager for the Danish national team, despite some concern about him being a role model for the young riders. In May 2007 he admitted having used erythropoietin
(epo) on two occasions in 1996 at Team Telekom.
In February 2004 he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and underwent surgery before returning to racing. Following his experience with cancer, Holm established La Flamme Rouge, as a means to raise money for chartiable organisations supporting cancer patients through sport. La Flamme Rouge sells various products such as cycle clothing designed for them by Paul Smith
. Mark Cavendish
is one of its ambassadors.
1986 – Roland
1990 – Histor
1991 – Histor-Sigma
1995 – Team Telekom
1998 – Acceptcard Pro Cycling
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional rider in road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
from 1986 to 1998, and rode for Team Telekom from 1993 to 1997, and was part of the team that brought his fellow Dane Bjarne Riis
Bjarne Riis
Bjarne Lykkegård Riis , nicknamed The Eagle from Herning , is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer who placed first in the 1996 Tour de France, and is now the team owner and manager of Danish UCI ProTour outfit Team Saxo Bank Sungard...
to victory in the 1996 Tour de France
1996 Tour de France
The 1996 Tour de France was the 83rd Tour de France, starting on June 29 and ending on July 21, featuring 19 regular stages, 2 individual time trials, a prologue and a rest day ....
. Brian Holm rode in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
seven times, and completed each one.
Biography
Brian Holm was born in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He has been a reliable domestique
Cycling domestique
A domestique is a road bicycle racer who works for the benefit of his team and leader. The French domestique translates as "servant". In Italy and Spain, the term gregario is used, while in Belgium and the Netherlands the term knecht or helper are used...
for most of his career, and also sports 11 individual victories, including a national championship (1990), the one-day classic Paris–Brussels and the semi-classic Paris–Camembert.
After his active career, Brian Holm has acted as a sport director, first for Danish pro-teams Team Acceptcard (1999) and Team Fakta
Team Fakta
Team Fakta was a Danish professional road bicycle racing team, which was active in the seasons 1999 to 2003. The main sponsor FDB is a consumer owned grocery chain, whose discount outlets are called Fakta....
, then for the Danish national team, and from 2003 for Team Telekom (sponsors changed several times) until 2011 when the team, latterly known as HTC-Highroad, came to an end.
Holm is cited as a motivational influence on prominent HTC-Highroad cyclist, Mark Cavendish. During the 2011 UCI Road World Championship in Copenhagen, won by Cavendish, he reportedly rode in the team support car with Great Britain coach Rod Ellingworth.
In his 2002 autobiography, he admitted having used doping
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
during the 1990s. This did not cost him his job as manager for the Danish national team, despite some concern about him being a role model for the young riders. In May 2007 he admitted having used erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
(epo) on two occasions in 1996 at Team Telekom.
In February 2004 he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and underwent surgery before returning to racing. Following his experience with cancer, Holm established La Flamme Rouge, as a means to raise money for chartiable organisations supporting cancer patients through sport. La Flamme Rouge sells various products such as cycle clothing designed for them by Paul Smith
Paul Smith
Paul Smith may refer to:In music:*Paul Smith , British record label manager and art event producer*Paul Smith , prominent composer of American film music*Paul Smith , Los Angeles jazz pianist...
. Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
is one of its ambassadors.
Palmarès
1983- Duo NormandDuo NormandThe Duo Normand is a two-man team time trial for elite racing cyclists. Held annually in Normandy, France, it was instituted in 1982. Launched by a local cycling association, the Duo Normand takes place on a road circuit of more than every September...
(with Jack Olsen
1986 – Roland
- TempleuveTempleuve-Windmill:Templeuve is the location of a windmill. The windmill tower is first mentioned in 1328 in rent documents of Anchin Abbey, as the "Moulin de Viertain". It was burned during the war in 1616, and completely rebuilt. It stopped productive work in 1908, and was damaged during the First World...
- Omloop van de Grenstreek
- Circuit de la Frontiers
1990 – Histor
- National championship, individual time trialIndividual time trialAn individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
- Stage 3, Tour d'Armorique
- GP Wieler Revue
- Stage 4, Paris–Nice, team time trialTeam time trialA team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
- Stage 2, Tour de l'Oise
1991 – Histor-Sigma
- Paris–Camembert
- Paris–Brussels
1995 – Team Telekom
- Stage 6, Boland Bank International
1998 – Acceptcard Pro Cycling
Acceptcard Pro Cycling
Acceptcard Pro Cycling, also known as Team Acceptcard was a Danish professional road bicycle racing team in 1998 and 1999. The sponsor, Acceptcard, is a Danish credit card company....
- Stage 3, Danmark RundtDanmark RundtDanmark Rundt is a Danish stage race for professional road bicycle racers organized as a part of the UCI Continental Circuits. It is currently sponsored by the Danish national postal agency, Post Danmark, and the race is therefore also known as Post Danmark Rundt. Currently 15 teams, with 8 riders...