Erik De Vlaeminck (23 March 1945 − 4 December 2015) was a Belgian

cyclist Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

who became cyclo-cross world-champion seven times (in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973), a record for male riders.

Professional career

De Vlaeminck missed 1967 only because his bike was damaged during the race. He also became Belgian champion four times (1967, 1969, 1971, 1972) at a time when there were so many good Belgian riders that the domestic championship was often harder than the world-championship. He also performed creditably in road races, including the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

. In 1969 he won the

Tour of Belgium The Tour of Belgium ( nl, Ronde van België; french: Tour de Belgique) is a five-day bicycle race which is held annually in Belgium, and is part of the UCI ProSeries. It was held annually between 1908 and 1981, except during both world wars. Betw ...

and a stage in the Tour de France. De Vlaeminck never failed a drugs test in his racing career but was treated after it for amphetamine addiction. Many stories circulate about his supposed wild behaviour after races and after his career was over. When he returned to racing, the Belgian federation would offer him a license for only a day at a time until it saw how his life would progress. De Vlaeminck subsequently refused to speak about this period of his life. His re-establishment was complete, however, because he became the national cyclo-cross coach and led Belgium to a dominating period of international success. He always complained, however, that while cyclo-cross brought Belgium its world championship medals, it was to road racing that the bulk of the funds were given.

Personal life

De Vlaeminck was the brother of

Roger De Vlaeminck Roger De Vlaeminck (; born 24 August 1947) is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as "The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation". Nicknamed “The Gypsy” because he was born ...

. His son Geert died, aged 26, of a heart attack in a cyclo-cross race while his father was watching. In later life, De Vlaeminck had

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

and

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

. He died on 4 December 2015 at the age of 70.

Honours

From 2000, an annual cyclo-cross named

Grand Prix Eric De Vlaeminck The Grand Prix Eric De Vlaeminck is a cyclo-cross race on and around the circuit Terlaemen in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. The race is named after seven times world champion cyclo-cross Eric De Vlaeminck. Until 2019 it was part of the UCI Cyclo-cro ...

is organized in

Heusden-Zolder Heusden-Zolder (; li, Heuze-Zolder ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian Limburg (Belgium), province of Limburg near Hasselt. On 1 January 2006 Heusden-Zolder had a total population of 30,769. The total ar ...

, De Vlaeminck was introduced in the UCI Cycling Hall of Fame in 2002.

Major results

Road

;1968 : Stage 2

: 1st Circuit du Tournaisis : 1st

GP Union Dortmund The Grand Prix Union Dortmund was a German cycling race organized for the last time in 1984. The course was between 130 and 172 km, with Dortmund as both start and finish place. The competition's roll of honor includes the successes of Ed ...

;1969 : 1st Jersey blue Epic Series

Overall

::1st Stage 1 : 1st

Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen (Championship of Flanders) or Koolskamp Koerse is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in September in Koolskamp (part-municipality of Ardooie), West Flanders, Belgium. Since 2005, the race is organized as a ...

: 1st

Omloop der Vlaamse Ardennen Dwars door West-Vlaanderen is a road bicycle race through the Belgian province of West Flanders. History The race was originally created unter the name Omloop der Vlaamse Ardennen (''English'': Tour of the Flemish Ardennes) in 1945 as a one-day ...

: 1st Stage 1

GP du Midi Libre The Grand Prix du Midi Libre (referred to as just Midi Libre) was a multiple-stage road cycling course in the south of France. The race, named after the newspaper that organized it, was first organized in 1949 and was an important preparation cou ...

: 1st

Ronde van West-Vlaanderen Ronde may refer to: * Rønde, a town in Denmark * '' Majin Tensei: Ronde'', a Japanese Sega Saturn game * Ronde script (calligraphy) * Ronde Barber, American sports broadcaster and former football player * Rondé, a Dutch indie pop band See also ...

: 1st

Dwars door West-Vlaanderen Dwars door West-Vlaanderen is a road bicycle race through the Belgian province of West Flanders. History The race was originally created unter the name Omloop der Vlaamse Ardennen (''English'': Tour of the Flemish Ardennes) in 1945 as a one-day ...

: 2nd

La Flèche Wallonne La Flèche Wallonne (, French for "The Walloon Arrow") is a men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium. The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week betw ...

: 2nd

Boucles de l'Aulne Boucles de l'Aulne is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in May or June around Châteaulin, in the region of Brittany, France. Since 2006, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. It was previously known as Grand Pri ...

: 2nd

GP Roeselare The GP Roeselare (officially Grote Prijs van de Bank van Roeselare en West-Vlaanderen) was a post WW II-men's cycling race organized for the last time in 1976. The start and finish place was Roeselare (West Flanders, Belgium). The competition's ...

: 2nd Leeuwse Pijl : 3rd

Gent–Wevelgem Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...

: 3rd

Elfstedenronde The Elfstedenronde is a one-day road cycling race held annually in Belgium. It was held originally from 1943 until 1989, and returned in 2017 as the Bruges Cycling Classic. The race has also been called the Tour des Onze Villes and the Circuit des ...

: 3rd Omloop der Zennevallei : 3rd Renaix-Tournai-Renaix : 3rd

Omloop van het Waasland Omloop van het Waasland ("Circuit of Waasland") is a bicycle road race held annually in the Belgian region of Waasland. Since 2009, it is organized as a 1.2 event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is also known for being the last professional cyclin ...

;1970 : 1st

: 1st

Overall

Paris–Luxembourg The Paris–Luxembourg was a professional cycle race held as a stage race between Paris and Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ...

: 1st

Grand Prix of Aargau Canton Grand Prix of Aargau Canton (german: Grosser Preis des Kantons Aargau) is a semi classic European bicycle race held in Aargau canton, one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. The race consists of fifteen laps around the Swiss town of G ...

: 2nd Omloop der drie Provinciën : 3rd

: 3rd

: 3rd Overall

: 3rd GP Flandria ;1971 : 1st GP Flandria : 1st Prologue

Tour of Luxembourg The Tour de Luxembourg is an annual stage race in professional road bicycle racing held in Luxembourg. The Tour de Luxembourg is classified as a 2.Pro race, the highest rating below the World Tour, by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), t ...

: 1st De Panne II : 2nd Prix de St. Amands ;1972 : 2nd

Grote Prijs Marcel Kint Grote Prijs Marcel Kint is a cycling race held annually in Belgium (Zwevegem & Kortrijk). It is part of UCI Europe Tour in category 1.1 1.1 may refer to: * 1.1.1.1, a Domain Name System service * 1.1-inch/75-caliber gun * Falcon 9 v1.1 orbital l ...

;1977 :7th Overall

Tour d'Indre-et-Loire The Tour d'Indre-et-Loire was a multi-day road bicycle race held annually from 1970 to 1982 in the department of Indre-et-Loire Indre-et-Loire () is a department in west-central France named after the Indre River and Loire River. In 2019, it ha ...

::1st

Points classification :: 1st Stage 2 : 3rd

E3 Harelbeke E3 Saxo Bank Classic, previously known as E3 BinckBank Classic, E3 Harelbeke, Harelbeke–Antwerp–Harelbeke and E3-Prijs Vlaanderen, is an annual road cycling race in Flanders, Belgium. The race starts and finishes in Harelbeke, covering 203 kil ...

Cyclo-cross

;1963 : 2nd

Cyclo-cross Zonhoven The Cyclo-cross Zonhoven is a cyclo-cross race in Zonhoven, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the ...

:2nd Druivencross Overijse ;1964 : 3rd

Jaarmarktcross Niel The Niel Jaarmarkt Cyclo-cross is a cyclo-cross race held in Niel, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands ...

: 3rd Druivencross Overijse ;1965 : 1st

:1st Druivencross Overijse : 1st

Grand Prix du Nouvel-An Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...

;1966 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st Jersey belgianflag

National CX Championships : 1st

: 1st Noordzeecross Middelkerke :1st Druivencross Overijse ;1967 : 1st

:1st Druivencross Overijse :1st Cyclocross Vossem ;1968 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st Jersey belgianflag

National CX Championships : 1st

:1st Druivencross Overijse :1st Cyclocross Vossem :1st Cyclocross Asse :1st Cyclocross Berlin :1st Cyclocross Eeklo :1st Cyclocross Fribourg :1st Cyclocross Gelsenkirchen :1st Cyclocross Hannover :1st Cyclocross Rieux :1st Cyclocross Tervuren :1st Cyclocross Wetteren ;1969 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st Noordzeecross Middelkerke : 1st Flemish championship cyclo racing :1st Cyclocross Binningen :1st Cyclocross Erembodegem :1st Cyclocross Lucerne :1st Cyclocross Mannheim :1st Cyclocross Stuttgart :1st Cyclocross Vaprio d'Agogna :1st Cyclocross Westerburg :2nd Druivencross Overijse :2nd Cyclocross Vossem ;1970 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st

Duinencross Koksijde The Duinencross Koksijde ("Cyclo-cross of Dunes") is a cyclo-cross race held in Koksijde, Belgium since 1969. It is part of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup The UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup is a season-long competition in cyclo-cross, organised by the ...

: 1st Noordzeecross Middelkerke : 1st Provincial Championship Cyclocross Waasmunster :1st Novate Milanese :1st Cyclocross Pieterlen :1st Cyclocross Estavayer :1st Cyclocross Heusden :1st Cyclocross Otegem ;1971 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st Jersey belgianflag

National CX Championships : 1st

: 1st Noordzeecross Middelkerke :1st Druivencross Overijse ;1972 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st Jersey belgianflag

National CX Championships :1st Druivencross Overijse :1st Novate Milanese :1st Cyclocross Zürich ;1973 : 1st Jersey rainbow

UCI World CX Championships : 1st Noordzeecross Middelkerke :1st Cyclocross Valladolid :3rd Druivencross Overijse ;1975 : 1st Noordzeecross Middelkerke : 1st Cyclo-cross Championship of Hainaut : 2nd Silver medal blank

National CX Championships ;1976 :1st Druivencross Overijse : 3rd Bronze medal blank

National CX Championships ;1977 : 3rd Bronze medal uci

UCI World CX Championships : 3rd Bronze medal blank

National CX Championships ;1978 :1st

Cyclo-cross Gavere The Superprestige Gavere is a cyclo-cross race held in Gavere, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to t ...

;1979 : 1st

References

External links

*
Official Tour de France results for Eric De Vlaeminck
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Vlaeminck, Erik 1945 births 2015 deaths Belgian male cyclists Cyclo-cross cyclists Belgian Tour de France stage winners Doping cases in cycling Belgian sportspeople in doping cases UCI Cyclo-cross World Champions (men) Belgian cyclo-cross champions People from Eeklo Cyclists from East Flanders