Erik De Vlaeminck

Erik De Vlaeminck (23 March 1945 − 4 December 2015) was a Belgian cyclist who became cyclo-cross world-champion seven times (in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973), a record for male riders.

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.

In 1969 he won the Tour of Belgium 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.

De Vlaeminck was the brother of Roger De Vlaeminck.

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 and Alzheimer's disease.

From 2000, an annual cyclo-cross named Grand Prix Eric De Vlaeminck is organized in Heusden-Zolder,

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

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