Tour of Belgium
Encyclopedia
The Tour of Belgium is a four-day bicycle race
which is held annually in Belgium
.
It was held annually between 1908 and 1981, except during both world wars. Between 1982 and 1990 several of races were not organised and none at all during the decade 1991 to 2001. From 2002 onwards the race has again become an annual fixture on the cycling calendar.
Following the start of the UCI ProTour
in 2005 it looked like the race would merge with the Eneco Tour of Benelux
; however this has not happened and it is now one of the UCI Europe Tour competition.
Bicycle Race
"Bicycle Race" is a single by the English rock band Queen. It was released on their 1978 album Jazz and written by Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury. It was released as a double A-side single together with the song "Fat Bottomed Girls". The song is notable for its video featuring a bicycle race with...
which is held annually in Belgium
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...
.
It was held annually between 1908 and 1981, except during both world wars. Between 1982 and 1990 several of races were not organised and none at all during the decade 1991 to 2001. From 2002 onwards the race has again become an annual fixture on the cycling calendar.
Following the start of the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
in 2005 it looked like the race would merge with the Eneco Tour of Benelux
Eneco Tour of Benelux
The Eneco Tour of Benelux is a road bicycle racing stage-race. Its name refers to its main sponsor, the energy company Eneco Energie. It is part of both the UCI ProTour and the UCI World Ranking calendar.-History:...
; however this has not happened and it is now one of the UCI Europe Tour competition.
Winners of the Tour of Belgium
No rider has managed to win the Tour of Belgium more than two times. Of the nine riders who managed to win it twice, only two have achieved consecutive wins.| Name | Country | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Mottiat Louis Mottiat Louis Mottiat was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Because of his endurance he was nicknamed 'the iron man'. His career was interrupted by World War I.- Palmarès :19101911191219131914... |
2 | 1914,1920 | |
| Emile Masson Emile Masson (cyclist) Emile Masson was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Massopn won two stages in the 1922 Tour de France. His son, Émile Masson Jr., also became a successful cyclist.- Palmarès :19191922... |
2 | 1919,1923 | |
| René Vermandel | 2 | 1921,1922 | |
| Henri Van Kerckhove | 2 | 1952,1954 | |
| Noël Foré Noël Foré Noël Foré was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. His greatest victories were Paris–Roubaix in 1959 and the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1963.- Palmarès :19571958195919621963- External links :... |
2 | 1958,1962 | |
| Eddy Merckx Eddy Merckx Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all... |
2 | 1970,1971 | |
| Roger Swerts Roger Swerts Roger Swerts is a Belgian former road bicycle racer.-Palmarès:196419651968196919711972Roger Swerts is a Belgian former road bicycle racer.-Palmarès:1964... |
2 | 1972,1974 | |
| Frans Maassen Frans Maassen Franciscus Albertus Antonius Johannes Maassen is a directeur sportif. He was a professional road racing cyclist between 1987 and 1995... |
2 | 1988,1990 | |
| Stijn Devolder Stijn Devolder Stijn Devolder is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He rides for UCI ProTeam , having ridden for Discovery Channel between 2004 and 2007 and from 2008 to 2010. Devolder won his first professional race at the 2004 Four Days of Dunkirk, winning stage 4... |
2 | 2008,2010 |
Complete list of winners
Winners by nation
| Rank | Country | Most times winner | Most Recent Winner | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louis Mottiat Louis Mottiat Louis Mottiat was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Because of his endurance he was nicknamed 'the iron man'. His career was interrupted by World War I.- Palmarès :19101911191219131914... , Emile Masson Emile Masson (cyclist) Emile Masson was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Massopn won two stages in the 1922 Tour de France. His son, Émile Masson Jr., also became a successful cyclist.- Palmarès :19191922... , René Vermandel, Henri Van Kerckhove, Noël Foré Noël Foré Noël Foré was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. His greatest victories were Paris–Roubaix in 1959 and the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1963.- Palmarès :19571958195919621963- External links :... , Eddy Merckx Eddy Merckx Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all... , Roger Swerts Roger Swerts Roger Swerts is a Belgian former road bicycle racer.-Palmarès:196419651968196919711972Roger Swerts is a Belgian former road bicycle racer.-Palmarès:1964... and Stijn Devolder Stijn Devolder Stijn Devolder is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He rides for UCI ProTeam , having ridden for Discovery Channel between 2004 and 2007 and from 2008 to 2010. Devolder won his first professional race at the 2004 Four Days of Dunkirk, winning stage 4... (2 each) |
Philippe Gilbert Philippe Gilbert Philippe Gilbert is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Gilbert is a classics specialist... 2011 |
63 | |
| 2 | Frans Maassen Frans Maassen Franciscus Albertus Antonius Johannes Maassen is a directeur sportif. He was a professional road racing cyclist between 1987 and 1995... (2) |
Lars Boom Lars Boom Lars Anthonius Johannes Boom is a professional cyclo-cross and road racing cyclist who was born in Vlijmen in the Netherlands. Boom rides for UCI ProTeam Rabobank cycling team, having previous ridden for the junior and continental teams. Boom won the cyclo-cross world championships in 2008... 2009 |
8 | |
| 3 | Lucien Petit-Breton Lucien Petit-Breton Lucien Georges Mazan was a French racing cyclist .He was born in Plessé, Loire-Atlantique , a part of Brittany, now part of Pays de la Loire. When he was six he moved with his parents to Buenos Aires where he took Argentine nationality... , Paul Duboc Paul Duboc Paul Duboc was a French professional road bicycle racer from 1907 through 1927. Despite winning 5 career stages in the Tour de France, he may be most remembered for being disqualified at the 1919 Tour de France for borrowing a car to go and repair his pedal axle.In 1911, Duboc was close to... , Jean Stablinski Jean Stablinski Jean Stablewski, known as Jean Stablinski was a French professional cyclist from a family of Polish immigrants. He rode from 1952 to 1968, winning 105 races as a professional... and Sylvain Chavanel Sylvain Chavanel Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003... (1 each) |
Sylvain Chavanel Sylvain Chavanel Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003... 2004 |
4 | |
| 4 | Carmine Preziosi Carmine Preziosi Carmine Preziosi is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :1962Carmine Preziosi is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.... and Vittorio Adorni Vittorio Adorni Vittorio Adorni is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist .-Beginnings:Vittorio Adorni was a talented amateur and showed early talent at riding alone... (1 each) |
Carmine Preziosi Carmine Preziosi Carmine Preziosi is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :1962Carmine Preziosi is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.... 1967 |
2 | |
| 5 | Michael Rogers (1) | Michael Rogers 2003 | 1 | |
| Leif Mortensen Leif Mortensen Leif Mortensen is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :196719681969... (1) |
Leif Mortensen Leif Mortensen Leif Mortensen is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :196719681969... 1973 |
1 | ||
| Sean Yates Sean Yates Sean Yates is an English former professional cyclist and head Directeur Sportif at Team Sky.-Career:Yates competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics, finishing sixth in the 4,000m individual pursuit. He also competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics... (1) |
Sean Yates Sean Yates Sean Yates is an English former professional cyclist and head Directeur Sportif at Team Sky.-Career:Yates competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics, finishing sixth in the 4,000m individual pursuit. He also competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics... 1989 |
1 | ||
| Vladimir Gusev (1) | Vladimir Gusev 2007 | 1 |