Joop Zoetemelk

Dutch cycling legend who won the 1980 Tour de France and the 1985 World Championship, the most consistent rider of his generation who accumulated an extraordinary record of top-five Tour finishes.

Joop Zoetemelk is a Dutch cyclist who won the Tour de France in 1980, ending years as Eddy Merckx's primary rival. He finished second in the Tour a record six times before his victory, and was also the 1985 Road Race World Champion at the age of 38 — one of the oldest world champions in cycling history. His longevity and consistency across four decades of racing are unparalleled.