Sport

Farewell to Rik Van Looy, cycling legend who preceded Merckx

The legendary Belgian cyclist who conquered all the classics and became an icon of his country died at the age of 90

18 December 2024

Aggiungi Il Sole 24 Ore
ai preferiti su Google

4' min read

He had a wicked smile. The fierce gaze of the hunter. But he was a cycling legend of the 20th century. After winning, at the finish line, he would look at you in that kind of way. With his arms on his hips, as if to say: 'But have you still not understood that I am the strongest? At best, if I'm there, you can finish second. But you'll have to put in a lot of effort to win....".

The world of cycling mourns one of its legends

At the age of 90, Rik Van Looy, one of the best, and most successful, riders of all time, died. On Friday, 20 December, he would have been 91. But he also preceded his birthday. He was tired. His long ride between the two centuries (he was born on 20 December 1933 in Grobbendonk, Belgium) had begun to take its toll on him. In short he left in his Herentals, leaving behind an unforgettable halo of cycling in black and white where anything was possible. It was possible, however, if your name was Rik Van Looy. A perfect name, quick as an arrow, predestined.

He only had one weakness: the big stage races where, in the end, the climbs made the difference. Once, the French sports newspaper, 'L'Equipe', attempted, at the invitation of its readers, a comparison between him and Coppi. And the headline was this: 'Between Fausto and Rik a mountain'. To emphasise, in more than just a symbolic way, the distance that existed between the two riders.

Given to Coppi what is Coppi's, it must be said that Van Loy was nevertheless an absolute champion. The more generous have attributed 379 victories to him, the more taxing 367, but these are still exceptional figures, almost incomparable to those of today. Suffice it to say that the champion of champions, the ravenous Eddy Merckx, managed to achieve 523 victories, a truly astronomical record.

However, Rik Van Looy was the first to win all the monumental races (Paris-Roubaix three times, Tour of Flanders twice, Lombardia once, Liège and Milan-San Remo), followed by Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck. To this magical five, Rik Van Looy added, in addition to the two world titles, the Fleche Wallonne, Ghent Wevelgem (3), Paris Tours (2) and Paris-Brussels (2).

A natural leader

A very long career (1953-1970) that of the Flemish, which saw him take centre stage even the few times he lost, almost always in stage races, where he would occasionally go off the track in the mountains.

He was taken for a fool when at the Giro d'Italia he would break away in the most inaccessible ramps. 'The mountain air intoxicates me, I like open spaces,' he would say with an almost cocky air. However, he was exposing himself, taking risks of his own.

He was a boss, a ras, a natural leader. He led the 'red squadron' that for many years wore the Italian Faema brand on its shirts. He always won, even too much. Because he was an excellent sprinter and a formidable passer-by. And he would throw himself into crazy sprints, getting carried away by his wingmen. They too were big, big men whom he rewarded handsomely.

He was an inventor of the 'train,' and many sprinters later modelled themselves on him. With his victories he quickly became rich. He had business sense. He knew how to invest. A great passion of his was horses, which he bred in his hometown of Herentals, which gave him the title 'Emperor'.

They called him 'Rik II' to distinguish him from 'Rik I', Van Steenbergen. Another Belgian cycling star, also a multiple winner, but with a mix of ribaldry due to dodgy dealings that also cost him jail time.

A winning and lucky man

Rik Van Looy was a successful and lucky man. Often the two go hand in hand, especially in cycling. His daughter became an excellent rider, his son a good footballer.

He too, however, was partly swept away by the Merckx cyclone. But Van Looy was good at sensing his talent by making him debut in his team, forcing him to a hard apprenticeship. Then Eddy went his own way but continued to rival the elderly champion, who was now on his twilight years.

There was always high regard for Roger de Vlaeminck, the gypsy from Eeklo, also nicknamed 'Monsieur Roubaix' for having triumphed four times in the cobbled classic: 'Roger was a great champion, of speed and endurance as I was,' said Van Looy.

He also esteemed Francesco Moser, also a great temperamental champion with a palmares of 273 victories.

"We made cycling history," Van Looy said in one of the last interviews. "Now everything has changed. There are some very good young people, like Tadej Pogacar. They have, however, grown up in a bambagia that we were not given. But I wouldn't trade. That world was my world, unforgettable and unrepeatable'.