Rik Van Steenbergen

Is that Ted Danson's father in law?

Thanks, Ronde Champ

"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

died this evening at the age of 78.

I

Bart said:

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 dentaltwins.comdentaltwins.comOpen ↗

ronde champ said:

Is that Ted Danson's father in law?

No they are from the poor branch without the "Van".

Robert Stack died too. 84?

jw

"Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bart said:

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

benjo maso said:

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. [...] May he rest in peace.

What a god.

benjo maso said:

"Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bart said:

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

I was hoping you'd post. You (Or I, in any case) can't find this info in the states. Thanks,

Steve

Quoted message said:

"Steven Bornfeld" > wrote in message

Quoted message said:

benjo maso said:

"Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Bart wrote:

>died this evening at the age of 78.

Sad to hear. He might easily be on anyone's list of the greatest.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Without any doubt. In his career Van Steenbergen won 952 races, 322 on

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

TV news showed images of his farewell track meeting. He had like an Average 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."