René Baeten was a Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

  motocross

Motocross

Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...

 world champion.

In 1953 and 1954, Baeten finished second in the 500cc European motocross championships to his FN

FN (motorcycle)

FN was a Belgian company established in 1899 to make arms and ammunition, and from 1901 to 1967 was also a motorcycle manufacturer...

 team-mate Auguste Mingels. In 1957, the F.I.M.

Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....

 upgraded the competition to world championship, and again Baeten would finish in second place, this time to Bill Nilsson

Bill Nilsson

Bill Nilsson was a Swedish motocross racer. He won the first ever F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Championship in 1957 riding an AJS motorcycle. In 1955, 1958 and 1961, he was a member of the Swedish teams that won the Motocross des Nations. He repeated as world champion in 1960 riding a Husqvarna...

 on an AJS

AJS

AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on...

 motorcycle. In 1958, Baeten would claim the 500cc world championship, defeating Nilsson and Sten Lundin

Sten Lundin

Sten Lundin was a Swedish motocross racer. He won the F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Championship in 1959 riding a Monark, and in 1961 riding a Lito. Lundin was also a member of the victorious Swedish team at the 1955 Motocross des Nations.-External links:* * at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame...

. Baeten was killed in a racing accident in 1960 .