The jerseys - 60
ITEM N° 239
PIJNEN René (NL)
(03.09.1946)
His European champion’s jersey in the madison
A leading figure in Dutch track cycling, René Pijnen was born on 3 September 1946 in Woensdrecht, in the province of North Brabant. A powerful, fast rider with exceptional tactical acumen, he enjoyed a professional career from 1969 to 1987, splitting his time between road racing and major track events.
Before turning professional, René Pijnen became Olympic champion in the 100-kilometre team time trial at the 1968 Mexico City Games, alongside Joop Zoetemelk, Fedor den Hertog and Jan Krekels.
On the road, he made his mark primarily in the Vuelta a España. An excellent time trial specialist, he won four stages there in 1971 and 1972, including several time trials, and also wore the leader’s jersey. He also competed in the 1969 and 1970 Tours de France.
It was, however, on the velodromes that René Pijnen built the bulk of his reputation. He won 72 Six-Day races out of 233 starts.
René Pijnen was crowned European champion in the Madison six times: in 1973 with Leo Duyndam, in 1974 and 1982 with Patrick Sercu, in 1976 with Günter Haritz, in 1980 with Michel Vaarten and in 1985 with Gert Frank. This record of six European titles is shared with the Belgian champion Patrick Sercu.
The item on display is his European Madison champion’s jersey.
The photograph shows René Pijnen at the jersey presentation ceremony. The rider is also holding a trophy, establishing a direct link between the object, its former owner and the many victories he secured throughout his career on European velodromes.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this item preserves the memory of one of the most remarkable track cyclists of his generation. The jersey, his dedication and the photograph of the presentation provide a unique record of René Pijnen’s six European titles and his exceptional career in American-style races and Six-Day events.
ITEM N° 245
PINTENS Georges (B)
(15.10.1946)
His M.I.C.–Ludo–de Gribaldy team jersey, worn in 1974
Born on 15 October 1946 in Antwerp, Georges Pintens was one of Belgium’s finest classics riders of the late 1960s and early 1970s. A professional from 1968 to 1976, he stood out for his stamina, versatility and effectiveness on tough, undulating courses.
In his very first professional season, he won a stage of the 1968 Tour de France between Pau and Saint-Gaudens and finished twelfth in the general classification. Two years later, he finished tenth in the Tour de France, confirming his qualities in stage races. He took part in a total of five editions of the Tour de France.
His list of achievements includes several prestigious victories: the Amstel Gold Race in 1970, Gent–Wevelgem and the general classification of the Tour de Suisse in 1971, the Grand Prix of the Canton of Aargau in 1972, as well as the Tour of Andalusia and the Frankfurt Grand Prix in 1973. He also won a stage of the Vuelta a España in 1976.
The high point of his career came in 1974. Riding for the M.I.C.–Ludo–de Gribaldy team, Georges Pintens triumphed in Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
The item on display is a jersey worn by Georges Pintens during that memorable 1974 season. The jersey bears several handwritten inscriptions as well as the name ‘Georges Pintens’. These details personalise the item and link it directly to the rider.
This garment is closely associated with Georges Pintens’s greatest victory. It commemorates the season in which the Antwerp-born rider triumphed in Liège–Bastogne–Liège and brought the young team led by Jean de Gribaldy its most prestigious success.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this item preserves the memory of Georges Pintens and his triumph in the 1974 Liège–Bastogne–Liège. The M.I.C. jersey, its inscriptions and the portraits of the rider make it a personal and particularly representative testament to one of the great Belgian figures of the classics.
ITEM N° 250
PLANCKAERT Eddy (B)
(22.09.1958)
His points classification jersey from the 1988 Tour de France
A fast sprinter and a formidable contender in the classics, Eddy Planckaert was born on 22 September 1958 in Nevele, East Flanders. A professional from 1980 to 1991, he came from a famous family of Belgian cyclists and built up a remarkable list of achievements thanks to his speed, stamina and ease on cobbled roads.
During his career, Eddy Planckaert won, notably, the Circuit Het Volk in 1984 and 1985, the Grand Prix E3 in 1987 and 1989, the Tour of Flanders in 1988 and Paris–Roubaix in 1990. He also claimed thirteen stage victories in the Grand Tours: two in the Tour de France, one in the Giro d’Italia and ten in the Vuelta a España.
The 1988 season was one of the most prestigious of his career. A few months after winning the Tour of Flanders, Eddy Planckaert lined up at the start of the Tour de France riding for the ADR team. Although he did not win any stages, he claimed the points classification with 278 points, ahead of the American Davis Phinney and the Irishman Sean Kelly. He thus brought the green jersey back to the Champs-Élysées at the end of the only edition of the Tour de France that he managed to complete.
The item on display is a green jersey worn by Eddy Planckaert during the 1988 Tour de France. The garment shows signs of wear and a visible alteration where a former badge once was. These features form part of its material history and bear witness to its use.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this item preserves the memory of the green jersey won by Eddy Planckaert in the 1988 Tour de France. Coupled with his victory in the Tour of Flanders that same year, it perfectly illustrates the versatility of a rider capable of excelling in both the classics and the sprints of a Grand Tour.
