Rik Van Looy, known for his dominance in one-day races, has passed away at the age of 90, according to Belgian media reports.
For years, Van Looy was considered the greatest cycling champion Belgium had ever seen, a title he held until Eddy Merckx came along and took over with his five Tour de France victories.
Nicknamed the “Emperor of Herentals” after the town where he lived, Van Looy started riding at 12, delivering newspapers on his bike. He turned professional at 20 and went on to win 371 races in his career.
Dominant in the Monuments
In the 1950s and ’60s, Van Looy was unbeatable in the one-day classics. He was the first to win all five of cycling’s biggest Monuments—Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Tour of Lombardy—long before Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck.
Il avait remporté trois fois l’Enfer du Nord, dont deux fois avec le maillot arc-en-ciel sur les épaules en 1961, 1962, puis en 1965 hommage à Rik Van Looy, l’Empereur d’Herentals !#ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/zUesS2xWbr
— Paris-Roubaix (@parisroubaix) December 18, 2024
Van Looy’s 16 career Classics wins, including eight Monuments, remain unmatched. Merckx, despite his incredible career, was never able to win Paris-Tours, something Van Looy achieved.
Multiple wins in Grand Tours
Beyond his victories in the classics, Van Looy also took multiple stage wins in the three Grand Tours—France, Italy, and Spain—and was world road race champion in 1960 and 1961.
Tributes have poured in from across the cycling world. The official Tour de France page wrote:
“The Emperor of Herentals is no more. A tribute to Rik Van Looy, the man with 371 professional victories, the first winner of all 5 Monuments, double world champion, seven-time stage winner in the Tour de France, and green jersey holder in 1963.”
Paris-Roubaix’s X account added:
“Van Looy won the Hell of the North three times, including twice with the rainbow jersey in 1961, 1962, and again in 1965. A tribute to Rik Van Looy, the Emperor of Herentals!”
Flanders Classics posted that, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rik Van Looy, the ‘Emperor of Herentals’. A true cycling legend whose incredible legacy will continue to inspire generations. Rest in peace.”
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