Jan Pronk (cyclist)
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Jan Pronk (October 19, 1918 – March 15, 2016) was a Dutch professional cyclist who specialized in motor-paced racing. In this discipline he won five medals at the world championships, including a gold medal in 1951. That gold medal was controversial because of the assistance of his compatriot Kees Bakker. At the end of the race, Bakker, a 35-year-old veteran at the time, was exactly one lap behind Pronk, who was in the lead. Then, up to the finish line, Bakker rode behind Pronk, covering him from attacks by the competitors. There were speculations that Bakker was paid by Pronk before the race; nevertheless, these tactics were then banned at competitions.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pronk, Jan 1918 births 2016 deaths Dutch male cyclists Sportspeople from Den Helder UCI Track Cycling World Champions (men) Cyclists from North Holland Dutch track cyclists 20th-century Dutch people 21st-century Dutch people