The jerseys - 68
ITEM N° 278)
SERCU Patrick (B)
(27.06.1944 – 19.04.2019)
His 1982 Belgian Omnium Champion’s jersey
Born on 27 June 1944 in Roeselare, West Flanders, Patrick Sercu was a Belgian cyclist who turned professional in 1965 and retired in 1983. An exceptional track cyclist and a remarkable road sprinter, he is regarded as one of the greatest track specialists of the 20th century.
He made his mark at a very young age by becoming the amateur world sprint champion in 1963. The following year, at the Tokyo Olympic Games, he won the gold medal in the kilometre time trial.
After turning professional in 1965, Patrick Sercu became world sprint champion in 1967 and again in 1969. He also won numerous European and Belgian titles in several disciplines, notably the sprint, the American, the derny and the omnium. The omnium comprises several different events and rewards the most well-rounded rider. Sercu excelled in this discipline thanks to his speed, endurance and remarkable tactical acumen. In 1982, aged 38, he won another Belgian omnium title, demonstrating his exceptional longevity.
Patrick Sercu remains best known as the ‘King of the Six-Day Races’. Between 1965 and 1983, he won 88 Six-Day races, a historic record. He secured fifteen of these victories alongside Eddy Merckx and also enjoyed numerous successes with Peter Post, René Pijnen, Albert Fritz and Gert Frank. Whilst dominating the velodromes, he enjoyed a brilliant career on the road. He won thirteen stages of the Giro d’Italia and six stages of the Tour de France. In 1974, he won three stages of the Tour de France as well as the green jersey for the points classification.
After retiring from competitive sport, Patrick Sercu remained very active in track cycling. In particular, he helped organise several Six-Day events and remained closely associated with the famous Six Days of Ghent for many years.
The item on display is the jersey worn by Patrick Sercu as Belgian omnium champion in 1982.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey commemorates the Belgian omnium title won by Patrick Sercu in 1982. His signature and a photograph of the rider wearing an identical kit make it a valuable memento of the twilight years of the greatest Six Days specialist.
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ITEM N° 280
SERGEANT Marc (B)
(16.08.1959)
His points classification jersey from the 1987 Tour de Suisse
Born on 16 August 1959 in Aalst, East Flanders, Marc Sergeant is a Belgian cyclist who turned professional in 1981 and retired in 1996. A powerful and consistent rider, he excelled in the classics, stage races and events requiring great endurance.
Belgian amateur road champion in 1981, he turned professional that same year. As early as 1982, he won the general classification of the Tour of Andalusia as well as a stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk, demonstrating his qualities as an all-round rider.
The 1986 season marked a significant milestone in his career. He became Belgian road champion and finished second in the Étoile de Bessèges and the Tour of Belgium. He also took sixth place in Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
In June 1987, riding for the Lotto–Eddy Merckx team, Marc Sergeant took part in the Tour de Suisse. Performing consistently throughout the race, he racked up a string of podium finishes in the various stages and won the points classification with 130 points, ahead of the American Andrew Hampsten and the Dutchman Steven Rooks. He took part in a total of twelve editions of the Tour de France between 1984 and 1995. He also performed consistently well in the Flemish classics, finishing in the top ten of the Tour of Flanders on six occasions.
After his racing career, Marc Sergeant became a sports director and then manager of several professional teams. In particular, he managed the various Lotto teams for nearly twenty years and guided several generations of Belgian riders to the very highest level.
The item on display is the green jersey awarded to Marc Sergeant as the winner of this classification.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this green jersey commemorates Marc Sergeant’s victory in the points classification of the 1987 Tour de Suisse. Accompanied by his handwritten note and photographs of the rider, it bears witness to one of the most memorable seasons of his career.
ITEM N° 281
SIMON Pascal (F)
(27.09.1956)
The combined classification leader’s jersey he wore at the 1983 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
Born on 27 September 1956 in Mesnil-Saint-Loup, in the Aube department, Pascal Simon is a French cyclist who turned professional between 1979 and 1991. A consistent climber with exceptional stamina, he was one of the finest French riders in stage races during the 1980s.
French junior road champion in 1974 and French military cyclo-cross champion in 1978, he confirmed his talent by winning the Tour de l’Avenir in 1981. The following year, he claimed victory at the summit of Orcières-Merlette during the fifteenth stage of the Tour de France.
In 1983, Pascal Simon put in an excellent performance at the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. He won a stage, finished fourth in the general classification and claimed the mountains classification. His performances also enabled him to wear the leader’s jersey in the combined classification. This special classification recognises riders’ versatility and consistency across several classifications in the race. The jersey combines yellow, green and white, whilst the three blue dolphins are a direct reference to the identity of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. A few weeks later, Pascal Simon became one of the key figures in the Tour de France. He claimed the yellow jersey in Bagnères-de-Luchon, but crashed the very next day and suffered a fracture to his left shoulder blade. Having worn the yellow jersey for seven stages, he was ultimately forced to withdraw on the climb to Alpe d’Huez. This famous episode has made Pascal Simon one of the symbols of courage and tenacity in the history of the Tour de France. He is also the eldest of a family of professional cyclists, including his brothers Régis, Jérôme and François Simon.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey serves as a memento of one of Pascal Simon’s finest seasons. Worn during the 1983 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, it bears witness to his skills as a climber, his versatility and his place amongst the great French riders of his generation.
