The world of cycling bids its final farewell to one of its most glorious champions: Rick van Looy. The legendary Belgian cyclist passed away two days before his 91st birthday after a short illness. Professional since 1954 al 1970was the first rider able to win all five Monuments (a goal later achieved only by his compatriots Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck). As well as one Milan-Sanremotwo Tour of Flanders, three Parigi-Roubaixa Liège-Bastogne-Liège and a Tour of Lombardy, van Looy also won two road world titles (1960 and 1961) and 37 stages in the Grand Tours for a total of 367 successes. He was nicknamed “Rik II”, to distinguish him from Rik Steenbergen, or “Emperor of Herentals“. (Eurosport IT)
The news reported in other newspapers
Van Looy was born in Grobbendonk and was a cycling icon. (TUTTOBICIWEB.it)
The career of Rick Van Looy Rik Van Looy, one of the strongest classics riders of all time, died this morning. The news comes from his native Belgium, where he was much loved. The day after tomorrow he would have turned 91. (Cicloweb.it)
Goodbye Rick Van Looygoodbye Emperor of Herentals. Belgium has lost one of its cycling icons: two World Championships, 8 monument Classics (all, at least once, one of only three to do so with Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck), 39 stage victories in the three Grand Tours (18 in the Vuelta, 12 in the Giro and 9 in the Tour) and an immense personality. (the Republic)
The cycling world mourns the death of the Belgian Rick Van Looy. Considered one of the best cyclists in history also by virtue of the fact that he was the first to win in all the monument classics (Milan-Sanremo, Flanders, Parigi-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-LiègeLombardy), Van Looy passed away on Wednesday at the age of 90. (rsi.ch)
First rider capable of winning all five monument classics, a feat later equaled only by Eddy Merckx e Roger De VlaeminckVan Looy was known as “The Emperor of Herentals“, a nickname that reflected the Belgian public’s respect and admiration for his talent. (ilmessaggero.it)
In some ways the palmares of this favorite son of Belgian cycling – very lucid until his last days – is superior to that of Merckx, a generation younger than him. (Corriere della Sera)
