Rik Van Steenbergen

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Rik Van Steenbergen


fullname = Rik Van Steenbergen
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1924|09|09
dateofdeath = death date and age|2003|05|15|1924|09|09
country = BEL
height =
weight =
currentteam =
discipline = Road
role = Rider
ridertype =
amateurteams =
amateuryears =
proyears =
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majorwins = World Champion (1949, 1956 and 1957) Ronde van Vlaanderen (2x) Paris-Roubaix (2x) Flèche Wallonne (2x) Paris-Bruxelles Milan-Sanremo
updated = August 28, 2008
medaltemplates =

Rik Van Steenbergen (9 September, 1924 – May 15, 2003) was a Belgian racing cyclist, considered to be one of the best among the great number of successful Belgian cyclists.

Career

Van Steenbergen was born in Arendonk in a poor family. He started cycling as a professional during World War II in 1942, after being an amateur since he was 14. The next year, he won his first important races, and became Belgian road cycling champion. In 1944, he won the Ronde van Vlaanderen Classic, which he won again two years later.

During his career, which lasted until 1966, Van Steenbergen won several more classics: Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Brussels and Milan-Sanremo. He also won the World Road Cycling Championships three times (1949, 1956 and 1957), equalling the (still standing) record of Alfredo Binda. His last world title, a year after his second, was won in front of a home crowd. In addition, he placed third in the first post-war championships in 1946.

Van Steenbergen also excelled on the track, and won 40 Six-day events, and improved two world records. His track capabilities made him an excellent road sprinter. However, he usually had difficulty climbing, which prevented him from winning major stage races. He nevertheless placed 2nd in the 1951 Giro d'Italia. Some suggest he could have competed for victory in stage races had he concentrated on them, instead of racing almost every race he could enter. It is estimated Van Steenbergen won slightly fewer than 1000 races, though accounts differ widely.

Van Steenbergen died in Antwerp after a prolonged sickness at the age of 78. The funeral was in the "Sint Pauluskerk" of Westmalle, attended by about 2000 people, including Eddy Merckx, Rik van Looy, Roger De Vlaeminck, Walter Godefroot, Johan De Muynck, Lucien van Impe, Freddy Maertens and Briek Schotte. The UCI president Hein Verbruggen and Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt also attended.

Career highlights

* 3 World Road Cycling Championships (1949, 1956, 1957)
* 8 major classics wins (Ronde van Vlaanderen x 2, Paris-Roubaix x 2, Flèche Wallonne x 2, Paris-Bruxelles, Milan-Sanremo)
* 7 Belgian Road Championships
* 4 Stage wins in the Tour de France
* 15 Stage wins in the Giro d'Italia (including second overall 1951)
* 6 Stage wins in the Vuelta a España
* 40 Six Day wins
* 6 European Track Championships
* 9 Belgian Track Championships

Major Road Wins

;1943:flagicon|BEL Belgian Road Race Championship:Championship of Flanders;1944:Ronde van Vlaanderen;1945:flagicon|BEL Belgian Road Race Championship;1946:Ronde van Vlaanderen;1948:Paris-Roubaix;1949:flagiconUCI World Road Cycling Championships:Flèche Wallonne:Tour de France::Winner stages 12 and 21;1950:Paris-Brussels;1951:Giro d'Italia::Winner stages 1 and 15::Wearing pink jersey for 7 days (2nd overall classification);1952:Paris-Roubaix:Giro d'Italia::Winner stages 6, 9 and 10:Tour de France::Winner stage 1::Wearing yellow jersey for 2 days;1953:Giro d'Italia::Winner stage 9;1954:flagicon|BEL Belgian Road Race Championship:Milan-Sanremo:Giro d'Italia::Winner stages 5, 16, 17 and 22;1955:Tour de France::Winner stage 16;1956:flagiconUCI World Road Cycling Championships:6 stages Vuelta a España (5th overall classification);1957:flagiconUCI World Road Cycling Championships:Giro d'Italia::Winner stages 1, 11, 17b, 20 and 21;1958:Flèche Wallonne

External links

*cyclingwebsite|7841
* [http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/TDF/riders/us/3129.html Official Tour de France results for Rik Van Steenbergen]