Brian Holm Sørensen (born 2 October 1962) is a retired Danish professional rider in

road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The two most common ...

from 1986 to 1998, who rode for Team Telekom from 1993 to 1997 and was part of the team that brought his fellow Dane

Bjarne Riis Bjarne Lykkegård Riis (; born 3 April 1964), nicknamed ''The Eagle from Herning'' ( da, Ørnen fra Herning), is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer who placed first in the 1996 Tour de France. For many years he was the owner and lat ...

to victory in the

1996 Tour de France The 1996 Tour de France was the 83rd edition of the Tour de France, starting on 29 June and ending on 21 July, featuring 19 regular stages, 2 individual time trials, a prologue and a rest day (10 July). It was won by Danish rider Bjarne Riis. T ...

Biography

Brian Holm was born in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan a ...

. He was a reliable

domestique In road bicycle racing, a domestique is a rider who works for the benefit of their team and leader, rather than trying to win the race. In French, ''domestique'' translates as "servant".However, in French, the term used is ''équipier''. In I ...

for most of his career, and also sports 11 individual victories, including a national championship (1990), the one-day classic

Paris–Brussels The Brussels Cycling Classic (known until June 2013 as Paris–Brussels) is a semi classic European bicycle race, one of the oldest races on the international calendar. History Paris–Brussels was first run on 12 August 1893 as an amateur eve ...

and the semi-classic Paris–Camembert. After his active career, Brian Holm has acted as a sport director, first for Danish pro-teams Team Acceptcard (1999) and

Team Fakta Team Fakta was a Denmark, Danish professional road bicycle racing team, which was active in the seasons 1999 to 2003. The main sponsor Fællesforeningen for Danmarks Brugsforeninger, FDB is a consumer owned grocery chain, whose discount outlets ar ...

, then for the Danish national team, and from 2003 for Team Telekom (sponsors changed several times) until 2011 when the team, latterly known as HTC-Highroad, came to an end. Holm is cited as a motivational influence on prominent HTC-Highroad cyclist,

Mark Cavendish Mark Simon Cavendish (born 21 May 1985) is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . As a track cyclist he specialises in the madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines; as a road racer he is a ...

. During the

2011 UCI Road World Championships The 2011 UCI Road World Championships took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, over 19–25 September 2011. The event consisted of a cycling road race and a time trial for men, women, men under 23, and for the first time since 2004 the junior men and ...

in Copenhagen, won by Cavendish, he reportedly rode in the team support car with Great Britain coach Rod Ellingworth. In February 2004 he was diagnosed with

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowe ...

, and underwent surgery before returning to racing. Following his experience with cancer, Holm established ''La Flamme Rouge'', as a means to raise money for charitable organisations supporting cancer patients through sport. La Flamme Rouge sells various products such as cycle clothing designed for them by Paul Smith.

is one of its ambassadors. In November 2013 Holm was elected as a municipal councillor in

Frederiksberg Frederiksberg () is a part of the Capital Region of Denmark. It is formally an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the City of Copenhagen. It occupies an area of ...

, a town forming an enclave in the

Copenhagen Municipality Copenhagen Municipality ( da, Københavns Kommune), also known in English as the Municipality of Copenhagen, located in the Capital Region of Denmark, is the largest of the four municipalities that constitute the City of Copenhagen (), the other ...

, despite undertaking little campaigning. Holm stood for election as a candidate of the Conservative People's Party. In May 2014 Holm was charged with indecent exposure towards a 7 year old girl, who had slept over in his house. Holm was acquitted

Doping

In his 2002 autobiography, he admitted having used doping during the 1990s. This did not cost him his job as manager for the Danish national team, despite some concern about him being a role model for the young riders. In May 2007, he admitted having used

erythropoietin Erythropoietin (; EPO), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production ( erythropoiesis) in th ...

(EPO) on two occasions in 1996 at Team Telekom.

Major results

;1983 :1st

Duo Normand The Duo Normand is a two-man team time trial (against the clock) for elite racing cyclists. Held annually at Marigny-le-Lozon in Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of '' ...

(with

Jack Olsen Jack Olsen (June 7, 1925 – July 16, 2002) was an American journalist and author known for his crime reporting. Olsen was senior editor-in-chief for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' in 1954. He was Midwest bureau chief for ''Time'' and a senior ...

) :7th Overall

Tour of Sweden The Tour of Sweden (or Postgirot Open) was an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race held in Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's ...

;1984 :1st

Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers is a road bicycle race held annually near Lillers, a commune in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. The editions 1964-1995 were reserved to amateurs. Since 2005, it is rated 1.2 on the UCI Europe Tour Th ...

:4th UCI Amateur Road Race World Championships :9th Overall

Tour of Norway The Tour of Norway is a road bicycle race held annually in Norway. It is considered as a successor to the stage race Ringerike GP, which is now a one-day race. It was started in 2011 as a result of the heightened interest in cycling in Norway, m ...

;1986 –

Roland Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...

:1st Circuit de la Frontiers : Templeuve : Omloop van de Grenstreek :3rd

Trofeo Baracchi The Trofeo Baracchi was a major Italian cycling race that ran for 50 years. It was created by Mino Baracchi, in memory of his father Angelo who was a great cycle racing fan. Originally (from 1941) an amateur individual time trial, from 1944 it w ...

(with

Jesper Skibby Jesper Skibby (born 21 March 1964 in Silkeborg, Denmark) is a retired professional road racing cyclist. He won at least one stage at each of the major tours. He was one of the most popular in Denmark, not only because of his talent, but also be ...

) :4th Grand Prix Pino Cerami :7th

Grote Prijs Jef Scherens Grote Prijs Jef Scherens is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in September in Leuven, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country i ...

;1987 :9th Overall Danmark Rundt ;1988 :2nd Grand Prix de la Libération :4th

Nokere Koerse Nokere Koerse is a European semi classic single day cycle race held in the Belgian region of Flanders. Since 2005, the race has been organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Starting in 2016 it was a 1.HC event. The Nokere Koerse was ...

:5th Overall Danmark Rundt ;1989 :3rd Grand Prix de la Libération :7th Grand Prix Pino Cerami ;1990 – Histor :1st National championship,

individual time trial An individual time trial (ITT) is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock (in French: ''contre la montre'' – literally "against the watch", in Italian: ''tappa a cronometro'' " stopwatch stage"). There are also track ...

:1st GP Wieler Revue :1st Stage 4 (TTT)

Paris–Nice Paris–Nice is a professional cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the Col d'Èze overlooki ...

:1st Stage 3 Tour d'Armorique : Stage 2,

Tour de l'Oise The Tour de Picardie was a professional stage race, multi-stage road bicycle racing, cycle road race that was held between 1936 and 2016 in Picardy, France. In its last twelve editions, it was organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. The ...

:4th Grand Prix de la Libération :5th

Grand Prix Eddy Merckx Grand Prix Eddy Merckx was a cycle race around Brussels, where Eddy Merckx was born. It was held between 1980 and 2004, disappearing after the creation of the UCI ProTour in 2005. The race was initially an individual time trial, becoming a Team ti ...

(with Paul Haghedooren) :6th

Trofeo Luis Puig The Trofeo Luis Puig is a single-day road bicycle race held in Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spa ...

:6th

Gent–Wevelgem Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late March on the last Sunday before the To ...

:6th

Rund um Köln The Rund um Köln is a classic cycling race around the German city of Cologne. Since 2005 it is part of the UCI Europe Tour, being organised as 1.1 race (in 2007 the race was categorised as 1.HC). It is one of the oldest cycling races still ru ...

:8th

Grand Prix des Nations The Grand Prix des Nations was an individual time trial (against the clock) for both professional and amateur racing cyclists. Held annually in Cannes, France, it was instituted in 1932 and often regarded as the unofficial time trial championship ...

:9th

Omloop Het Volk Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, previously Omloop Het Volk, is a one-day road cycling race in Belgium, held annually in late February. It is the opening event of the Belgian cycling season, as well as the first race of the year in Northwestern Europe, and ...

:9th

Brabantse Pijl The Brabantse Pijl ( en, Brabant Arrow, french: italic=yes, Flèche Brabançonne or ''Flèche Branconne'') is a Flanders Classics road bicycle race held annually in Flemish Brabant and in Walloon Brabant, Belgium. Since 2005, the race has been or ...

;1991 – Histor-Sigma :1st Paris–Camembert :1st

:5th

(with Benjamin Van Itterbeeck) :9th

:10th Grand Prix de la Libération ;1992 :2nd

Omloop van de Vlaamse Scheldeboorden Omloop van de Vlaamse Scheldeboorden is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in September in the municipality of Kruibeke, Belgium. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour The UCI Continental Circuits are ...

:4th Overall

Four Days of Dunkirk The Four Days of Dunkirk (french: Quatre Jours de Dunkerque) is road bicycle race around the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Despite the name of the race, since the addition of an individual time trial in 1963, the race has been ...

:6th

:7th

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 ...

:10th

(with Herman Frison) ;1993 :5th

Grand Prix de Wallonie The Grand Prix de Wallonie is an annual road bicycle race held annually in Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, ...

:5th

Grand Prix de Fourmies The Grand Prix de Fourmies is a bicycle race held in the Fourmies commune of France. Since 2005 it has been organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing ...

:6th

Druivenkoers Overijse Druivenkoers Overijse is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in August in Overijse, Belgium. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing Road ...

:6th

:8th

Grote 1-MeiPrijs The Grote 1-MeiPrijs (also named Ereprijs Victor De Bruyne) was a European single-day cycle race held in the Belgian region of Flanders, around Hoboken. From 2005, the race was organized as a 1.2 event on the UCI Europe Tour The UCI Continenta ...

:8th Overall

Hofbräu Cup Hofbräu is a German term meaning "royal brewer". It may refer to: Breweries * Cölner Hofbräu Früh, a brewery in Cologne * Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München (''Hofbräu München''), a brewery in Munich ** Hofbräu-Festzelt, the largest beer ...

;1994 :3rd

Grand Prix de Denain Grand Prix de Denain is a professional cycle road race held in Denain, France. For 10 years from 2005 the race was organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions whi ...

:4th Veenendaal–Veenendaal :7th

;1995 – Team Telekom :Stage 6, Boland Bank International :2nd National Road Race Championships :5th Omloop Mandel :10th

Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne is an annual single-day road cycling race in Belgium. It is held one day after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, on the last Sunday of February or the first of March, and completes the opening weekend of the Belgian cycling season ...

;1996 – Team Telekom :3rd

Dwars door België Dwars door Vlaanderen ''( en, Across Flanders)'' is a semi-classic road bicycle race in Belgium, held annually since 1945. The race starts in Roeselare and finishes in Waregem, both in West Flanders. Since 2017 the event is included in the UCI W ...

:5th Overall

Tour de 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), th ...

:6th

Danish National Road Race Championships The Danish National Road Race Championships were created in 1987. Men U23 Women See also *Danish National Time Trial Championships *National Road Cycling Championships National road cycling championships are held annually by host natio ...

:7th Grand Prix Pino Cerami :7th

Paris–Roubaix Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the ' Monuments' or classics of th ...

:7th Overall Danmark Rundt ;1997 – Team Telekom :3rd

E3 Prijs Vlaanderen 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 ki ...

:4th Grand Prix Herning :6th Overall Danmark Rundt :6th

Tre Valli Varesine The Tre Valli Varesine is a semi classic European bicycle race held in Varese, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is usually the first and most important race of Trittico Lombardo, which con ...

:7th Grand Prix Aarhus ;1998 – Acceptcard Pro Cycling :1st Stage 3 Danmark Rundt :7th

:8th

Ronde van Drenthe Ronde van Drenthe ( en, Tour of Drenthe) is an elite men's and women's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Drenthe, Netherlands and sanctioned by the Royal Dutch Cycling Union. Since 1998 there is also a women's event, kn ...

:8th Omloop Mandel :9th Overall

Étoile de Bessèges The Étoile de Bessèges () is an early-season five-day road bicycle racing stage race held annually around Bessèges, in the Gard department of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. First organized in 1971 as a one-day race, it became a ...

Bibliography

* ''Smerten - glæden : erindringer fra et liv på cykel'', ,

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, 2002. . :An autobiography written in Danish. The title can be translated to ''The pain - the joy: memories of a life on the bike''. * ''Den sidste kilometer - En bog om at blive klogere'', People's Press,

, 2009, . A book in Danish about his cancer. The title can be translated to ''The last kilometer - A book about becoming wiser''.

References

External links

La Flamme Rouge
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Holm, Brian 1962 births Living people Cyclists from Copenhagen Danish male cyclists Doping cases in cycling Olympic cyclists of Denmark Cyclists at the 1984 Summer Olympics Cyclists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Danish sportspeople in doping cases Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team Directeur sportifs