Rik Van Steenbergen
Bart
I
ronde champ
Thanks,
Ronde Champ
"Bart" <bart.vanh...@NOTRASHpandora.be> wrote in message
news:0qRwa.3808$1u5...@afrodite.telenet-ops.be...
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Bart wrote:
> died this evening at the age of 78.
>
> I
Sad to hear. He might easily be on anyone's list of the greatest.
Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Ewoud Dronkert
>Is that Ted Danson's father in law?
No they are from the poor branch without the "Van".
J999w
jw
benjo maso
"Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" <born...@dentaltwins.com> wrote in message
news:3EC3E895...@dentaltwins.com...
>
>
> Bart wrote:
>
> > died this evening at the age of 78.
> >
> > I
>
> Sad to hear. He might easily be on anyone's list of the greatest.
Without any doubt. In his career Van Steenbergen won 952 races, 322 on the
road and 630 on the track. And yet, according to many insiders he sold more
races than he won. Van Steenbergen make no secret of riding for the money in
the fitrst place. If losing was bringing in more money than winning, he
didn't hesitate to loose. He was not interested in building up a palmares,
he only won important races to increase his market value at kermesses and
trackraces. He always put a clausule in his contracts that after he had won
a classic, he didn't have to participate to other road races. For instance,
after his victory in Milan-San Remo in 1954 he only participated to the Giro
(winning 4 stages). The rest of the year he was travelling around Europe,
showing up everywhere were they was ready to pay him a starting fee. He
never took a week off and usually slept in his car to save money. Yet he had
a very long career. He became Belgian champion 18, won the Ronde van
Vlaanderen at 19 and ended his career at 42. In between he became three
times worldchampion, won Paris-Roubaix (twice), the Ronde (twice), the
Flèche Wallone (twice), Paris Bruxelles and Milan-San Remo. Between 1946 and
1958 he was almost unbeatable in the sprint, and if he had been protected by
a team like Saeco or Telekom (unthinkable in the 1950's) nobody could have
beaten him in the classics. He was much too heavy to a good climber (83 kg),
but was still capable of finishing second in a Giro d'Italia (after Magni,
but before Kübler, Coppi, Koblet, Bobet, Bartali, etc.).
After his stopped racing he really didn't know what to do. He he a short
career as an actor in soft porno-movies, and was arrested and convicted
because of his connections with a criminal organisation. But because he was
really a good man at heart and had as a rider always been completely honest
and even generous, the cycling world quickly forgave him and until a few
month ago he was ofteen seen at races in Belgium. He was especially very
happy with the creation of the Grand Prix Rik van Steenbergen some twelve
years ago.
May he rest in peace.
Benjo Maso
Ewoud Dronkert
>He became Belgian champion 18, won the Ronde van
>Vlaanderen at 19 and ended his career at 42. In between he became three
>times worldchampion, won Paris-Roubaix (twice), the Ronde (twice), the
> May he rest in peace.
What a god.
Steven Bornfeld
I was hoping you'd post. You (Or I, in any case) can't find this info
in the states.
Thanks,
Steve
>
>
>
Chris Mitchell
> benjo maso wrote:
> > "Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" wrote in message
> >>Bart wrote:
> >>
> >>>died this evening at the age of 78.
> >>
> >
> > Without any doubt. In his career Van Steenbergen won 952 races, 322 on
the
> > road and 630 on the track.
> Benjo Maso
>
> I was hoping you'd post. You (Or I, in any case) can't find this info
> in the states.
> Thanks,
>
> Steve
Memory is water over a stone in the stream.. The edges are smoothed, the
stone less pointed, as days pass.
Better an accurate picture, as Benjo gave us, than a place in the stream.
-Chris Mitchell
Bart
Master Racer's Belly.
What he said: "I regret not making enough money out of it. I liked racing
too much. Organizers knew I would agree to ride anyway."