Rik Van Looy, the Emperor of Belgian cycling

It was 20 December 1933, in the small town of Grobbendonk in the province of Antwerp. A boy named Henri was born. Little did anyone know that this child would go on to become the great Rik Van Looy, one of the greatest cyclists Belgium and the world have ever known. The boy would grow to be a 1m78 sprint powerhouse, win 474 races and become known as he Emperor of Herentals. 

Van Looy’s pro career started in 1953, spanning 17 years and eight teams, most famously Faema, where he raced from 1956 to 1961 in a team so well-oiled they became known as the Red Guard.  

His curriculum includes two world championship titles, two Belgian championships, three Paris-Roubaix victories (known as the Hell of the North, this race is notoriously difficult and prestigious), the Tour of Lombardy. Should we go on? 

Perhaps we should, because Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Lombardy are two of five cycling Monuments – classic races between 240 and 300 kilometres. The other three are Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Only three cyclists have managed to win all five in their careers. Van Looy was the very first. The other two? Fellow Belgians Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck. 

Rik Van Looy passed away just a few days shy of his 91st birthday, on the day his late wife would have turned 92. He was the oldest world champion still alive.  

The Emperor of Herentals, Rik Van Looy, will be remembered as one of the greatest cyclists of all time. 

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