Patrick Sercu

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Patrick Sercu
Patrick Sercu (3x4 cropped).jpg
Sercu in 2008
Personal information
Full namePatrick Sercu
NicknameEmperor of the oval
Born(1944-06-27)27 June 1944
Roeselare, West Flanders, Belgium
Died19 April 2019(2019-04-19) (aged 74)
Roeselare, West Flanders, Belgium
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineTrack and road
RoleRider
Rider type Sprinter
Professional teams
1964Bertin–Porter 39–Milremo
1964–1966 Solo–Superia
1967 Flandria–DeClerckx
1968–1969 Faemino–Faema
1970–1972 Dreher
1973–1976 Brooklyn
1977 Fiat France
1978–1979 Marc Zeepcentrale–Superia
1980Marc–VRD
1981–1902IWC–Imex
1983Imex–Neuhaus
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
Points classification (1974)
6 individual stages (1974, 1977)
Giro d'Italia
13 individual stages (1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)

Stage races

Giro di Sardegna (1970)

One-day races and Classics

Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen (1972)
Elfstedenronde (1973)
Halle–Ingooigem (1974)
Dwars door West-Vlaanderen (1974)
Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne (1977)

Track Championships

National Track Championships
Madison (1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977)
Omnium (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982)
Sprint (1965, 1967, 1968, 1969)
Derny (1976)
European Track Championships
Omnium (1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1980)
Madison (1969, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1978)
Derny (1977)
World Track Championships
Sprint (1967, 1969)
Medal record
Representing Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
Men's track cycling
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1964 Tokyo 1000 m time trial
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1963 Liege Amateur's sprint
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1967 Amsterdam Sprint
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1969 Antwerpen Sprint
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1965 San Sebastián Sprint
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1968 Rome Sprint
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1965 Brussels Omnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1967 GentOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1968 GentOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1969 Gent Madison
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1969 CharleroiOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1970 KölnMadison
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1970 GentOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1971 BrusselsOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1972 GentOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1973 KölnOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1975 RotterdamMadison
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1976 RotterdamOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1977 KopenhagenMadison
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1977 AntwerpOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1977 Rotterdam Derny
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1978 MilanMadison
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1980 GentOmnium
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1982 GentMadison
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1972 AntwerpMadison
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1978 RotterdamDerny
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1979 ViennaOmnium
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1980 ViennaDerny
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1968 BremenMadison
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1971 GentMadison
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1976 ZürichMadison
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1979 KopenhagenMadison
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1981 MilanOmnium
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1982 ZürichOmnium

Patrick Sercu (27 June 1944 – 19 April 2019) [1] was a Belgian cyclist who was active on the road and track between 1961 and 1983. On track, he won the gold medal in the 1 km time trial at the 1964 Summer Olympics, as well as three world titles in the sprint in 1963, 1967 and 1969. On the road, he earned the green jersey in the 1974 Tour de France. Sercu is the record holder for the number of six-day track race victories, having won 88 events out of 223 starts between 1961 and 1983; several of these wins were with cycling great Eddy Merckx. [2] He also won six stages at the Tour de France and eleven stages at the Giro d'Italia. [3] [4]

Contents

With 38 national and 15 European championship titles, he is considered as one of the most successful track cyclists ever. [5]

In total, he won no less than 1,206 races, of which 168 road races and 1,038 track races. [6]

Biography

Early life

At a young age, Patrick Sercu was pushed towards the track by his father Albert, himself a successful rider. "He was afraid I would break down too quickly on the road", Patrick Sercu himself said about that.

With his fast legs, Sercu was also born for explosive work on the track. In 1962, aged 18, he won his first national titles, in the sprint and madison events. At 19, Sercu became world amateur sprint champion in Rocourt, near Liège.

Sercu after winning the 1963 World amateur sprint championship in Rocourt Wereldkampioenschappen te Recourt Sprint amateurs De Belg Sercu op erepodium, Bestanddeelnr 915-4017.jpg
Sercu after winning the 1963 World amateur sprint championship in Rocourt

A year later, the still very young Sercu captured gold at the kilometre in Tokyo, his only participation in the Games as only amateurs were allowed to compete in the cycling events at the time. That year, he was the star attraction at the Manchester Wheelers' Club Race Meet at the Fallowfield track in Manchester. [7]

Professional career

After the Olympics, professional life and also increasingly the road races beckoned for Sercu. Super team Solo–Superia, which also included Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy and Rik Van Steenbergen, brought in the West-Fleming.

While on the road he still lacked power and speed, on the track he was increasingly successful. Between 1965 and 1969, he won two more golds and two more silver medals at the World Sprint Championships, each time after a duel with his Italian rival Giuseppe Beghetto.

Sercu with wife, after winning the 1967 World Championship Sprint Patrick Sercu with wife 1967.jpg
Sercu with wife, after winning the 1967 World Championship Sprint

He was also an instant winner in the Six Days. With Eddy Merckx at his side, he won his first of 11 Six Days in Ghent in 1965. Until the early 1980s, Sercu would remain the uncrowned king of the Six Days.

With 88 final victories, Sercu leads the eternal rankings. "It's Merckx's fault there weren't more", he later said jokingly. After all, Merckx could not ride a full winter programme due to his busy schedule.

Gradually, Sercu began to find his feet on the road as well. In 1970, he rode his first major tour, the Giro, and took his first stage win. Twelve more stage wins in the Italian Tour would follow in the following years.

By the mid-1970s, Sercu had become one of the most renowned sprinters in the peloton. In his first participation in the Tour at the age of 30, he snatched 3 stages as well as the green jersey. Three years later, he would bring his total in the Tour to six stage wins. By then, he had already won the overall classification of another stage race Giro di Sardegna in 1970, and the points classification of the Critérium du Dauphiné and La Méditerranée in 1977.

Retirement

Patrick Sercu in 1998 Patrick Sercu 1998.jpg
Patrick Sercu in 1998

Patrick Sercu retired from competitions in 1983. He became organizer of six days events and omniums all over the world, [3] and director of the Six Days of Ghent and the former Six Days of Hasselt. [8] [9] After a few years with unstable health, Sercu died on 19 April 2019, aged 74. [10]

Riding Style

Sercu had the special quality not only to have a very fast sprint, but he could also maintain that top speed for a long time. He celebrated his greatest success there with one kilometer time trial, where he often outwitted the stockier, more explosive types in a long sprint. It earned him the world records in the shorter distances. Moreover, everything seemed to come very easily to him, often to the chagrin of his opponents. With his unequalled recuperation ability, he was able to participate in more than ten six-days in a winter season. In the years that he combined the track with the road, he competed in more than 200 races every year.

The six-day combination with Eddy Merckx was a success. Merckx was able to maintain a high, constant pace for a long time, while Sercu often finished it off with his final sprint. [11]

Major results

Road

1964
1st Gent–Wevelgem Amateur race
1965
1st Criterium Zolder
1966
1st Criterium Bourcefranc
1967
1st Memorial Tom Simpson
1968
1st Omloop van Midden-Vlaanderen
2nd Ronde van Limburg
1969
1st Omloop Leiedal
1st Stage 5 Tirreno–Adriatico
3rd Omloop der Vlaamse Gewesten
1970
Giro d'Italia
1st Stage 5
2nd Coppa Sabatini
2nd Milano–Vignola
2nd Giro di Calabria
2nd Nokere Koerse
3rd Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria
3th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
1st Stage 5
1st Jersey Sardegna (Red-Blue Stripe).png Overall Giro di Sardegna
1st Stage 4
1971
1st Izegem koers
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 13 & 14
1st Stage 2 Giro di Sardegna
1st Criterium Tortoretto
2nd Coppa Bernocchi
1st Stage 1 Tour de Romandie
1st GP Roeselare
2nd Grote 1-MeiPrijs
2nd Milano–Vignola
2nd Giro di Campania
3rd Sassari-Cagliari
1972
1st Omloop van het Houtland
1st Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
1st Criterium Lignano
2nd Coppa Bernocchi
2nd Paris–Camembert
1st Stage 3 Tirreno–Adriatico
3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna
1st Stage 6
3rd Sassari-Cagliari
1973
1st Maaslandse Pijl
Giro d'Italia
1st Stage 9
1st Stage 2 Giro di Puglia
1st Elfstedenronde
1st Sassari-Cagliari
2nd Milano–Vignola
1974
Tour de France
1st Jersey green Epic Series.svg Points classification
1st StageS 3, 4 and 10
1st Halle–Ingooigem
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 1, 10 & 12 (ITT), 7 & 15 (ITT)
1st De Kustpijl
1st Dwars door West-Vlaanderen
1st Criterium Rouergue
2nd Giro di Sicilia
2nd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
5th Overall Giro di Sardegna
1st Stages 2, 3 and 5
1975
1st Izegem Koers
1st Circuit of Dunkirk (fr)
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 2, 13 and 18
Tour de Romandie
1st Stages 2 and 5
Tirreno–Adriatico
1st Stage 4
1st Dwars door West-Vlaanderen
1st Stage 3 Giro di Sardegna
2nd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
2nd Milano–Vignola
2nd Grand Prix Cemab (fr)
1976
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 1, 2 and 11
1st Stage 4 Giro di Puglia
1st Stage 5 Giro di Sardegna
1st Criterium Nantes
3rd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
1977
Tour de France
1st Stages 8, 9 (TTT), 14 and 15
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
1st Jersey green Epic Series.svg Points classification
1st Stages 3, 4, 5 and 8
Paris–Nice
1st Stages 8 and 10
1st Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna
1st Stages 2 and 3
La Méditerranéenne
1st Jersey green Epic Series.svg Points classification
1st Stages 4 and 5
2nd E3 Harelbeke
1978
1st Stage 2 Tour of Belgium
1st Omloop van de Grensstreek
1st Criterium Hank
1979
1st GP Union Dortmund
1st Stage 6 Deutschland Tour
1980
1st Omloop van het Zuidwesten
1st Criterium Mol

Track

Jean-Pierre Monsere and Patrick Sercu in the 1970 Six Days of Brussels Jean-Pierre Monsere en Patrick Sercu tijdens de Zesdaagse van Brussel, Brussel, 1970, Maurice Terryn (NEGT0251002 - collectie KOERS. Museum van de Wielersport).jpg
Jean-Pierre Monseré and Patrick Sercu in the 1970 Six Days of Brussels
1962
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Sprint
1963
1st Jersey rainbow.svg Men's Amateur sprint, UCI Track World Championships
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Madison (with Romain De Loof)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Sprint
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Omnium
1st Brussels Omnium (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Roucourt Sprint
1964
Summer Olympics
1st Gold medal olympic.svg Men's track time trial
Sport records icon WR.svg World Record Flying 500 m time trial amateurs (29"66)
Sport records icon WR.svg World Record 1 km time trial amateurs (1'06"76)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Sprint
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Omnium
1st Brussels Omnium (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Cologne Omnium (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Antwerp Omnium (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Forest-Vorst Omnium (with Eddy Merckx)
1965
1st Gold medal europe.svg European Track Championships – Omnium
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Amateur Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Sprint
2nd Silver medal uci.svg Men's sprint, UCI Track World Championships
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Brussels (with Eddy Merckx)
3rd Six Days of Antwerp (with Emile Severeyns and Theo Verschueren)
1966
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Frankfurt (with Klaus Bugdahl)
1st Antwerp Omnium (with Eddy Merckx
1st Rocourt Omnium (with Eddy Merckx
1st Ostend Omnium (with Eddy Merckx
1st Brussels Omnium (with Eddy Merckx
1st Ghent Omnium (with Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Steenbergen and Noël Van Clooster
2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Klaus Bugdahl)
2nd Six Days of Antwerp (with Eddy Merckx and Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Milan (with Leandro Faggin)
3rd Six Days of Zürich (with Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Amsterdam (with Jan Janssen)
1967
1st Jersey rainbow.svg Men's sprint, UCI Track World Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg European Track Championships – Omnium
Sport records icon WR.svg World Indoor Record Flying 1 km time trial (1'01"23)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Sprint
2nd Silver medal blank.svg Derny
1st Six Days of Cologne (with Klaus Bugdahl)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Charleroi (with Ferdinand Bracke)
1st Six Days of Montreal I (with Emile Severeyns)
1st Six Days of Münster (with Klaus Bugdahl)
1st Madison Ostend (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Madison Rocourt (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Antwerp (with Eddy Merckx and Klaus Bugdahl)
2nd Six Days of Dortmund (with Klaus Bugdahl)
2nd Six Days of Berlin II (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Zürich (with Klaus Bugdahl)
2nd Six Days of Milan (with Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Berlin I (with Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Bremen (with Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Frankfurt (with Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Montreal II (with Emile Severeyns)
1968
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
3rd Bronze medal europe.svg Madison (with Klaus Bugdahl))
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Sprint
1st Six Days of London (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Frankfurt (with Rudi Altig)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Rudi Altig)
2nd Silver medal uci.svg Men's sprint, UCI Track World Championships
2nd Six Days of Zürich (with Peter Post)
2nd Six Days of Cologne (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Rik Van Looy)
2nd Six Days of Montreal (with Emile Severeyns)
3rd Six Days of Antwerp (with Jan Janssen and Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Charleroi (with Rik Van Looy)
1969
1st Jersey rainbow.svg Men's sprint, UCI Track World Championships
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
1st Gold medal europe.svg Madison (with Peter Post)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Rik Van Looy)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Sprint
1st Six Days of London (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Frankfurt (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Antwerp (with Rik Van Looy and Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Bremen (with Peter Post)
2nd Six Days of Cologne (with Peter Post)
2nd Six Days of Berlin (with Peter Post)
2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Alain van Lancker)
2nd Six Days of Milan with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Montreal (with Emile Severeyns)
3rd Six Days of Zürich (with Alain van Lancker)
1970
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
1st Gold medal europe.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Norbert Seeuws)
1st Six Days of London (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Cologne (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Bremen (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Jean-Pierre Monseré)
2nd Six Days of Berlin (with Albert Fritz)
2nd Six Days of Antwerp (with Romain Deloof and Alain van Lancker)
3rd Six Days of Zürich (with Sigi Renz and Jürgen Schneider)
1971
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
3rd Bronze medal europe.svg Madison (with Graeme Gilmore))
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Jean-Pierre Monseré)
1st Six Days of London (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Roger De Vlaeminck)
1st Six Days of Frankfurt (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Peter Post)
1st Six Days of Rotterdam (with Peter Post)
2nd Six Days of Bremen (with Peter Post)
2nd Six Days of Brussels (with Roger De Vlaeminck)
3rd Six Days of Dortmund (with Peter Post)
3rd Six Days of Grenoble (with Ferdinand Bracke)
1972
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
2nd Silver medal europe.svg Madison (with Julien Stevens))
Sport records icon WR.svg World Record 1 km time trial (1'07"35)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Roger De Vlaeminck)
1st Six Days of London (with Tony Gowland)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Julien Stevens)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Alain van Lancker)
2nd Six Days of Antwerp (with Rik Van Linden and Alain van Lancker)
2nd Six Days of Milan with Gianni Motta)
2nd Six Days of Bremen (with Peter Post)
3rd Six Days of Munich (with Alain van Lancker)
1973
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
Sport records icon WR.svg World Outdoor Record Flying 1 km time trial (1' 02" 40)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Julien Stevens)
1st Six Days of Cologne (with Alain van Lancker)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Milan with Julien Stevens)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Graeme Gilmore)
1st Six Days of Grenoble (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of London (with Gianni Motta )
2nd Six Days of Rotterdam (with Eddy Merckx)
1974
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of London (with René Pijnen)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with René Pijnen)
1st Six Days of Antwerp (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Cologne (with Wilfried Peffgen)
2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Sigi Renz)
2nd Six Days of Rotterdam (with Eddy Merckx)
3rd Six Days of Bremen (with Graeme Gilmore)
3rd Six Days of Grenoble (with René Pijnen)
1975
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Madison (with René Pijnen)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Zürich (with Günther Haritz)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Dietrich Thurau)
1st Six Days of Bremen (with René Pijnen)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Antwerp (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Grenoble (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Dortmund (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Frankfurt (with Dietrich Thurau)
2nd Six Days of Munich (with Eddy Merckx)
3rd Six Days of London (with Alain van Lancker)
3rd Six Days of Rotterdam (with Alain van Lancker)
1976
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
3rd Bronze medal europe.svg Madison (with Klaus Bugdahl))
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Derny
1st Six Days of Milan with Francesco Moser)
1st Six Days of Antwerp (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Freddy Maertens)
1st Six Days of Rotterdam (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Maastricht (with Graeme Gilmore)
2nd Six Days of Berlin (with René Pijnen)
2nd Six Days of Munich (with Graeme Gilmore)
2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Ferdi Van Den Haute)
3rd Six Days of Bremen (with Graeme Gilmore)
3rd Six Days of Grenoble (with Felice Gimondi)
1977
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
1st Gold medal europe.svg Madison (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Gold medal europe.svg Derny
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Madison (with Ferdi Van Den Haute)
1st Six Days of Zürich (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Antwerp (with Freddy Maertens)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of London (with René Pijnen)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Munich (with Eddy Merckx)
1st Six Days of Maastricht (with Eddy Merckx)
2nd Six Days of Grenoble (with Eddy Merckx)
3rd Six Days of Dortmund (with Wilfried Peffgen)
3rd Six Days of Frankfurt (with Klaus Bugdahl)
3rd Six Days of Rotterdam (with Freddy Maertens)
3rd Six Days of Herning (with Ole Ritter)
1978
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Madison (with Gregor Braun)
2nd Silver medal europe.svg Derny
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Gerrie Knetemann)
1st Six Days of Frankfurt (with Dietrich Thurau)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Dietrich Thurau)
1st Six Days of Munich (with Gregor Braun)
1st Six Days of Grenoble (with Dietrich Thurau)
2nd Six Days of Milan with Giuseppe Saronni)
3rd Six Days of Dortmund (with Dietrich Thurau)
3rd Six Days of Herning (with Niels Fredborg)
1979
European Track Championships
2nd Silver medal europe.svg Omnium
3rd Bronze medal europe.svg Madison (with Dietrich Thurau)
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st Six Days of London (with Albert Fritz)
1st Six Days of Zürich (with Albert Fritz)
1st Six Days of Cologne (with Gregor Braun)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Dietrich Thurau)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Dietrich Thurau)
1st Six Days of Munich (with Dietrich Thurau)
1st Six Days of Rotterdam (with Albert Fritz)
1st Six Days of Hanover (with Albert Fritz)
2nd Six Days of Frankfurt (with Dietrich Thurau)
2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Stan Tourné)
2nd Six Days of Groningen (with Albert Fritz)
3rd Six Days of Milan with Felice Gimondi)
3rd Six Days of Bremen (with Dietrich Thurau)
3rd Six Days of Antwerp (with Roger De Vlaeminck and Rik Van Linden)
3rd Six Days of Grenoble (with Bernard Vallet)
3rd Six Days of Maastricht (with Albert Fritz)
1980
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Omnium
2nd Silver medal europe.svg Derny
1st Six Days of Milan with Giuseppe Saronni)
1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Gregor Braun)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Gregor Braun)
1st Six Days of Bremen (with Albert Fritz)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Albert Fritz)
1st Six Days of Herning (with Gert Frank)
2nd Six Days of Maastricht (with Albert Fritz)
2nd Six Days of Hanover (with Dietrich Thurau)
3rd Six Days of Rotterdam (with Albert Fritz)
3rd Six Days of London (with Albert Fritz)
3rd Six Days of Cologne (with Albert Fritz)
1981
European Track Championships
3rd Bronze medal europe.svg Omnium
Belgian National Championships
2nd Silver medal blank.svg Points race
1st Six Days of Milan with Francesco Moser)
1st Six Days of Cologne (with Albert Fritz)
1st Six Days of Ghent (with Gert Frank)
1st Six Days of Grenoble (with Urs Freuler)
2nd Six Days of Bremen (with Albert Fritz)
2nd Six Days of Hanover (with Gert Frank)
3rd Six Days of Zürich (with René Pijnen)
3rd Six Days of Rotterdam (with Albert Fritz)
1982
European Track Championships
1st Gold medal europe.svg Madison (with René Pijnen)
3rd Bronze medal europe.svg Omnium
Belgian National Championships
1st MaillotBelgica.svg Omnium
1st Six Days of Antwerp (with Roger De Vlaeminck)
1st Six Days of Berlin (with Maurizio Bidinost)
1st Six Days of Rotterdam (with René Pijnen)
2nd Six Days of Milan with Francesco Moser)
2nd Six Days of Cologne (with Gregor Braun)
2nd Six Days of Bremen (with Gert Frank)
2nd Six Days of Zürich (with Danny Clark)
2nd Six Days of Herning (with René Pijnen)
3rd Six Days of Ghent (with Roger De Vlaeminck)
3rd Six Days of Maastricht (with Gerrie Knetemann)
1983
1st Six Days of Rotterdam (with René Pijnen)
2nd Six Days of Milan (with Moreno Argentin)
2nd Six Days of Bremen (with Albert Fritz)
2nd Six Days of Antwerp (with Etienne De Wilde)

Records

Overview

Details

World records

DisciplineRecordDateVelodromeRef
Flying 500 m time trial amateurs 29"6628 July 1964Ordrupbanen Ordrup, Denmark [12]
1 km time trial amateurs 1'06"7612 December 1964Palais Des Sports Brussels, Belgium [12]
Flying 1 km time trial 1'01"233 Februari 1967 Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Belgium [13]
1 km time trial 1'07"352 December 1972 Hallenstadion Zürich, Switzerland [12]
Flying 1 km time trial outdoor 1'02"4617 September 1973 Velodromo Vigorelli Milan, Italy [14]

Six-day wins

Timeline
NrYearRacePartnerWin
11965 Ghent Eddy Merckx 1
21966Frankfurt Klaus Bugdahl 1
31967CologneKlaus Bugdahl2
41967Montréal Emile Severeyns 1
51967GhentEddy Merckx2
61967MünsterKlaus Bugdahl3
71967Charleroi Ferdinand Bracke 1
81968Rotterdam Peter Post 1
91968LondonPeter Post2
101968Frankfurt Rudi Altig 1
111968DortmundRudi Altig2
121969BremenPeter Post3
131969AntwerpPeter Post and Rik Van Looy 4
141969LondonPeter Post5
151969DortmundPeter Post6
161969FrankfurtPeter Post7
171969Charleroi Norbert Seeuws 1
181970ColognePeter Post8
191970BremenPeter Post9
201970LondonPeter Post10
211970Ghent Jean-Pierre Monseré 1
221971RotterdamPeter Post11
231971LondonPeter Post12
241971BerlinPeter Post13
251971FrankfurtPeter Post14
261971Ghent Roger De Vlaeminck 1
271972London Tony Gowland 1
281972Dortmund Alain van Lancker 1
291972Ghent Julien Stevens 1
301973CologneAlain van Lancker2
311973MilanJulien Stevens2
321973DortmundEddy Merckx3
331973GrenobleEddy Merckx4
341973Ghent Graeme Gilmore 1
351974AntwerpEddy Merckx5
361974London René Pijnen 1
371974DortmundRené Pijnen2
381975BremenRené Pijnen3
391975AntwerpEddy Merckx6
401975Berlin Dietrich Thurau 1
411975GrenobleEddy Merckx7
421975GhentEddy Merckx8
431975Zürich Günter Haritz 1
441976RotterdamEddy Merckx9
451976AntwerpEddy Merckx10
461976Milan Francesco Moser 1
471976Dortmund Freddy Maertens 1
481976MaastrichtGraeme Gilmore2
491977Copenhagen Ole Ritter 1
501977AntwerpFreddy Maertens2
511977LondonRené Pijnen4
521977BerlinEddy Merck11
531977MunichEddy Merckx12
541977GhentEddy Merckx13
551977ZürichEddy Merckx14
561977MaastrichtEddy Merckx15
571978BerlinDietrich Thurau2
581978FrankfurtDietrich Thurau3
591978GrenobleDietrich Thurau4
601978Munich Gregor Braun 1
611978Ghent Gerrie Knetemann 1
621979CologneGregor Braun2
631979Rotterdam Albert Fritz 1
641979HanoverAlbert Fritz2
651979LondonAlbert Fritz3
661979BerlinDietrich Thurau5
671979DortmundDietrich Thurau6
681979MunichDietrich Thurau7
691979ZürichAlbert Fritz4
701979BremenAlbert Fritz5
711980CopenhagenAlbert Fritz6
721980CopenhagenAlbert Fritz7
731980BerlinGregor Braun3
741980DortmundGregor Braun4
751980GhentAlbert Fritz8
761980Herning Gert Frank 1
771981CologneAlbert Fritz8
781981CopenhagenAlbert Fritz9
791981MilanFrancesco Moser2
801981Grenoble Urs Freuler 1
811981GhentGert Frank2
821982RotterdamRené Pijnen5
831982CopenhagenRené Pijnen6
841982AntwerpRoger De Vlaeminck2
851982Berlin Maurizio Bidinost 1
861982MunichRené Pijnen7
871983RotterdamRené Pijnen8
881983CopenhagenGert Frank3
Partners

• 15 events with Eddy Merckx

• 14 with Peter Post

• 10 with Albert Fritz

• 8 with René Pijnen

• 7 with Dietrich Thurau

• 3 with Klaus Bugdahl & Gert Frank

• 2 with Rudi Altig, Roger De Vlaeminck, Alain van Lancker, Julien Stevens, Graeme Gilmore, Francesco Moser & Freddy Maertens

Track Championships

Champion19641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983
Olympic: kilometre                   
World track championships: sprint                 
World Road Championships           rit.         
European Track Championships: madison        
European Track Championships: derny                  
European Track Championships: omnium       
 :Belgian National Championships: madison        
 :Belgian National Championships: derny                   
 :Belgian National Championships: omnium       
 :Belgian National Championships: sprint                
National road championship                    
National road championship points                  

Track races

Races19641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983
Omnium Cherbourg                   
Amsterdam six                    
Antwerp six  rit. rit.rit. 
Berlin six  rit.  
Bremen six     
Brussels six      rit.            
Charleroi six                  
Cologne six      rit.   
Copenhagen six              rit.
Dortmund six     
Essen six                   
Frankfurt six    rit.   rit.  
Ghent six    
Grenoble six            
Groningen six                    
Hanover six                  
Herning six                
London six         
Maastricht six               
Milan six        
Monaco six        rit.rit.  
Montréal six                  
Münster six                    
Rotterdam six        
Zürich six      

Italian classics

Classics19641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983
Giro del Piemonte                    
Giro di Campania                    
Giro di Toscana             62°       
Milan–San Remo       11°   31° 27° 116° 11°       
Milano–Torino        10°           
Milano–Vignola                    

Non-Italian classics

Classics19641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983
Flèche Wallonne       15°               
Gent–Wevelgem         49°   20°          
Tour of Flanders        44°            
Paris–Roubaix      18°             
Paris–Tours         11°           

Stage races

Races
(stage races)
19641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983
Deutschland Tour                12° (1)    
Tour of Belgium       rit.        rit. (1)      
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré               70° (4)       
Tour of the Mediterranean              (2)      
Giro d'Italia        90° (1) 69° (2) rit. 97° (1) rit. (3) 67° (3) rit. (3)        
Giro di Puglia          (1)  (1)       
Tour of Romandy        (1)   (1)        
Tour of Sardinia       1° (1)15° (1)  5° (3)(1) 3° (2)      
Paris–Nice              (2)      
Tirreno–Adriatico      (1)6° (1) (1)  (1)(1)       
Tour de France            89° (3)    rit. (3)       

Other road aces

Races19641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983
Acht van Chaam                    
Bellariva-Rimini                   
Brussels-Ingooigem                   
Brussels-Meulebeke                    
Cagliari-Sassari                  
Circuito degli Assi di Pavullo                   
Circuito di Cotignola                   
Circuit of the Port of Dunkirk                   
Circuit of South-West Flanders                   
Circuit of Central Flanders                    
Tour of the Vallée de la Lys                   
Tour of the Flemish Ardennes                  
Tour des Régions Frontières                    
Elfstedenronde                    
Coppa Bernocchi                   
Coppa Sabatini                    
Criterium degli Assi di Nogaro                   
Criterium Bourcefranc                   
Criterium Callac                   
Criterium Hank                   
Criterium Lignano                   
Criterium Mol                   
Criterium Nantes                   
Criterium Rouergue                   
Criterium Tortoretto                   
Criterium Zolder                   
Freccia Mosana                   
Ronde van Limburg                    
Giro di Calabria                   
Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria                    
Giro di Sardegna                  
Giro di Sicilia                    
Gran Premio Cemab                   
GP Roeselare                   
GP Union Dortmund                    
Harelbeke-Antwerp-Harelbeke                   
Het Volk                 
Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne                    
Memorial Tom Simpson                  
Paris–Camembert                   
Petegem-Deinze                   

Honours

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