Belgian cycling legend nicknamed 'The Emperor of Herentals' who became the first rider to win all five Classic monuments and dominated European one-day racing throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Rik Van Looy was the Belgian 'Emperor of Herentals', one of cycling's most complete champions of the early 1960s. The first rider to win all five Monuments of cycling, his combination of exceptional sprinting speed and ability to read and win one-day races made him one of the sport's all-time great Classics specialists. He is also one of only two riders to win all five Monuments during his career.
Career Journey
Timeline
1932
👶 Born in Herentals, Belgium
1970
🏁 Retired from professional sport