Wim van Est
Encyclopedia
Willem van Est was a Dutch
racing cyclist.
He is best known for being the first Dutch cyclist to wear the yellow jersey
in the Tour de France of 1951, and for falling into a ravine while wearing it.
, in North Brabant
. Prior to his cycling career, he used to smuggle tobacco by bike, but was eventually caught and served several months in prison. He started his cycling career (as an amateur) in 1946, after a professional runner had seen him race in a local competition as part of a wager. His first major victory came in 1950, when he won the 600-km Bordeaux–Paris race.
In 1951
, Van Est was part of the Dutch team for the Tour de France. In the 12th stage, from Agen
to Dax, he escaped with a small group. He won the stage and gained 19 minutes on the leader, enough to move up to first place overall. As the first Dutchman to wear the accompanying yellow jersey he was praised by the public and media at home.
The next day, in defence of his position, Van Est was chasing the leaders in the descent of the Col d'Aubisque
. Due to a flat tyre (according to Van Est himself), he slipped away and fell into a 70 m deep ravine. Miraculously, he survived the fall and had no serious injuries. Using a chain of tyres, and helped by spectators and his manager, he managed to get back to the road. Van Est wanted to continue, but was persuaded to go to the hospital.
At home, Van Est's fame grew even more when Pontiac
, which had supplied watches to the Dutch team in the Tour de France, started an advertising campaign "Seventy meters deep I dropped, my heart stood still but my Pontiac never stopped".
Later in his career, Van Est twice won the Ronde van Nederland
, wore the yellow jersey again in 1955
and 1958
, placed 8th in 1957
and won two more stages. Also, he won Bordeaux–Paris two more times, two national road titles, four national titles in the individual pursuit on the track, as well as three medals in the pursuit at the World Championships.
Nevertheless, he remained most famous for the two days in the 1951 Tour de France. To remember this event, a monument was placed on the mountain 50 years after the event, on July 17, 2001.
Wim van Est died in his hometown Sint Willebrord
.
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1961
1963
1964
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
racing cyclist.
He is best known for being the first Dutch cyclist to wear the yellow jersey
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
in the Tour de France of 1951, and for falling into a ravine while wearing it.
Biography
Van Est was born in the town of FijnaartFijnaart
Fijnaart is a town in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Moerdijk, about 8 km west of the town of Zevenbergen.-References:...
, in North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
. Prior to his cycling career, he used to smuggle tobacco by bike, but was eventually caught and served several months in prison. He started his cycling career (as an amateur) in 1946, after a professional runner had seen him race in a local competition as part of a wager. His first major victory came in 1950, when he won the 600-km Bordeaux–Paris race.
In 1951
1951 Tour de France
The 1951 Tour de France was the 38th Tour de France, taking place from July 4 to July 29, 1951. It consisted of 24 stages over 4690 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.949 km/h....
, Van Est was part of the Dutch team for the Tour de France. In the 12th stage, from Agen
Agen
Agen is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in Aquitaine in south-western France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux. It is the capital of the department.-Economy:The town has a higher level of unemployment than the national average...
to Dax, he escaped with a small group. He won the stage and gained 19 minutes on the leader, enough to move up to first place overall. As the first Dutchman to wear the accompanying yellow jersey he was praised by the public and media at home.
The next day, in defence of his position, Van Est was chasing the leaders in the descent of the Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque
The Col d'Aubisque is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees 30 km south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques , in the Aquitaine region of France....
. Due to a flat tyre (according to Van Est himself), he slipped away and fell into a 70 m deep ravine. Miraculously, he survived the fall and had no serious injuries. Using a chain of tyres, and helped by spectators and his manager, he managed to get back to the road. Van Est wanted to continue, but was persuaded to go to the hospital.
At home, Van Est's fame grew even more when Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
, which had supplied watches to the Dutch team in the Tour de France, started an advertising campaign "Seventy meters deep I dropped, my heart stood still but my Pontiac never stopped".
Later in his career, Van Est twice won the Ronde van Nederland
Ronde van Nederland
The Ronde van Nederland is a road bicycle racing stage-race in the Netherlands, founded in 1948. It's an annual race since 1975. Because of the start of the UCI ProTour in 2005 the tour was replaced by the Eneco Tour of Benelux....
, wore the yellow jersey again in 1955
1955 Tour de France
The 1955 Tour de France was the 42nd Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 30, 1955. It consisted of 22 stages over 4495 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.446 km/h....
and 1958
1958 Tour de France
The 1958 Tour de France was the 45th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 19, 1958. The total race distance was 24 stages over 4,319 km, at an average speed of 36.919 km/h....
, placed 8th in 1957
1957 Tour de France
The 1957 Tour de France was the 44th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 20, 1957. It was composed of 22 stages over 4665 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.250 km/h....
and won two more stages. Also, he won Bordeaux–Paris two more times, two national road titles, four national titles in the individual pursuit on the track, as well as three medals in the pursuit at the World Championships.
Nevertheless, he remained most famous for the two days in the 1951 Tour de France. To remember this event, a monument was placed on the mountain 50 years after the event, on July 17, 2001.
Wim van Est died in his hometown Sint Willebrord
Sint Willebrord
Sint Willebrord is a town in the municipality of Rucphen in the Netherlands. It is also known by the name t Heike which was the semi-official name up until 1950/1970 , which is the diminutive form of hei in local dialect...
.
Palmarès
1947- Saarland Rundfahrt
1949
- Etten-Leur
- national track pursuit championship
- Putte-Mechelen
1950
- Brugge
- Dendermonde
- Houthalen-Helchteren
- Luxembourg
- Lyon
- Oostburg
- Oostkamp
- Sint-Willebrord
- Steenbergen
- Bordeaux–Paris
- Tilburg
1951
- Avignon
- Bordeaux
- Duisburg
- Etten-Leur
- Grenoble
- Köln
- Luxembourg
- Lyon
- national Interclubs championship
- Borgerhout
- Tour de France1951 Tour de FranceThe 1951 Tour de France was the 38th Tour de France, taking place from July 4 to July 29, 1951. It consisted of 24 stages over 4690 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.949 km/h....
:- Winner stage 11
1952
- national track pursuit championship
- Omloop van Limburg
- Oosterhout
- Ronde van NederlandRonde van NederlandThe Ronde van Nederland is a road bicycle racing stage-race in the Netherlands, founded in 1948. It's an annual race since 1975. Because of the start of the UCI ProTour in 2005 the tour was replaced by the Eneco Tour of Benelux....
- Sint-Willebrord
- Nokere Koerse
- Bordeaux–Paris
1953
- Belsele
- Geleen
- Tour de France1953 Tour de FranceThe 1953 Tour de France was the 40th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 26, 1953. It consisted of 22 stages over 4479 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.593 km/h....
:- Winner stage 16
- Kerkrade
- Leiden
- national track pursuit championship
- Pont-l'Abbé
- Ronde van Vlaanderen
- Zandvoort
- Koewacht, Koewacht
- Rotterdam
- Acht van Chaam
- Eede
1954
- Driedaagse van Antwerpen
- Ronde van Nederland
- Tour de France1954 Tour de FranceThe 1954 Tour de France was the 41st Tour de France, taking place from July 8 to August 1, 1954. It consisted of 23 stages over 4656 km, ridden at an average speed of 33.229 km/h....
:- Winner stage 4B
1955
- Acht van Chaam
- national track pursuit championship
- national interclubs championship
- Turnhout
- Amsterdam
- Mandel-Leie-Schelde
- Etten-Leur
1956
- national track stayers championship
- national interclubs championship (with Piet van Est)
Dutch National Road Race ChampionshipDutch National Road Race ChampionshipThe Dutch National Road Race Championships take place annually, on the weekend prior to the start of the Tour de France. First held in 1888, today it is organized by the Top Sports Group, commissioned by the KNWU.- Men:...- GP Stad Vilvoorde
- Maldegem
- Boom
1957
- Dutch National Road Race ChampionshipDutch National Road Race ChampionshipThe Dutch National Road Race Championships take place annually, on the weekend prior to the start of the Tour de France. First held in 1888, today it is organized by the Top Sports Group, commissioned by the KNWU.- Men:...
- Tour de France1957 Tour de FranceThe 1957 Tour de France was the 44th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 20, 1957. It was composed of 22 stages over 4665 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.250 km/h....
:- 8th place overall classification
1958
- Etten-Leur
- national track stayers championship
1959
- Kruiningen
- Rotterdam
- Wilrijk
1961
- Bordeaux–Paris
- Mortsel
1963
- Brasschaat
- national interclubs championship (with Piet van Est)
- Drie Zustersteden
1964
- national interclubs championship (with Piet van Est)
External links
- Official Tour de France results for Wim van Est
- More extensive story of Van Ests fall in 1951 Contemporary newsreel footage of the crash (in French)