The jerseys - 70
ITEM N° 592
SORGELOOS Edgard (B)
(14.12.1930 – 12.11.2016)
His Tour of Sardinia leader’s jersey, worn in 1964
In March 1964, Edgard Sorgeloos enjoyed a remarkable campaign on the roads of Sardinia. At the age of 33, the Belgian rider drew on his experience, stamina and tactical acumen to compete with some of Europe’s finest stage race specialists.
Born on 14 December 1930 in Denderhoutem, Sorgeloos was by then an established professional. A member of the Solo–Superia team and a loyal domestique to Rik Van Looy, he belonged to the famous ‘Red Guard’, renowned for its cohesion and collective effectiveness.
The seventh edition of the Tour of Sardinia took place from 1 to 6 March 1964. The race comprised six stages, one of which was divided into two sections, covering a total distance of 1,084 kilometres between Rome and Sassari. At the end of the second stage, contested between Oristano and Cagliari, Edgard Sorgeloos took the lead in the general classification. The Italian Antonio Bailetti won the stage, but the Belgian capitalised on the gaps that had opened up in the peloton to don the leader’s jersey. Sorgeloos held this distinction for one day. During the following stage between Cagliari and Nuoro, Vittorio Adorni took the lead in the race before going on to win the final general classification ahead of Huub Zilverberg and Guido De Rosso.
The jersey on display is the one worn by Edgard Sorgeloos whilst he held first place in the Tour of Sardinia.
The press clipping accompanying the item specifically states ‘Sorgeloos leader in the general classification’. The period photographs and the subsequent meeting with the former rider reinforce the historical documentation surrounding this jersey.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey preserves the memory of a day spent by Edgard Sorgeloos at the head of the 1964 Tour of Sardinia. Combined with his victory a few days later in the Sassari–Cagliari race, it bears witness to one of the most brilliant periods of his long professional career.
ITEM N° 289
STEELS Tom (B)
(02.09.1971)
His 1997 Belgian Road Champion’s jersey
Born on 2 September 1971 in Saint-Gilles-Waes, East Flanders, Tom Steels is a former Belgian professional cyclist who competed from 1994 to 2008. A powerful sprinter and classics specialist, he was one of the fastest riders on the international circuit in the late 1990s.
Before focusing primarily on road racing, he achieved several results on the track. In particular, he competed in the 1-kilometre time trial at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, an experience that helped develop his speed and explosive power.
Having turned professional in 1994, Tom Steels joined the prestigious Mapei team in 1996. In his very first season with the team, he won the Circuit Het Volk and Ghent–Wevelgem, as well as two stages of the Vuelta a España. The year 1997 marked a new milestone in his progression. He won four stages of Paris–Nice, a stage of the Tour de Luxembourg and a stage of the Tour de Suisse, before competing in the Belgian Road Championships.
On 29 June 1997, in Beersel, Tom Steels claimed victory at the end of a race covering over 240 kilometres. He finished ahead of Ludo Dierckxsens and Kurt Van De Wouwer, thereby securing the first of his four Belgian professional championship titles.
The item on display is the national jersey worn by Tom Steels whilst riding for Mapei. A handwritten dedication by Tom Steels appears on the yellow section of the jersey. The photograph, taken during a visit to the Belgian champion’s home on 30 November 1997, directly documents the handover of this item a few months after he won his national title.
Tom Steels retained his tricolour jersey by winning the Belgian Championship again in 1998. He went on to add two further titles, in 2002 and 2004. His honours list also includes nine stage victories in the Tour de France, achieved between 1998 and 2000, as well as a second victory in Gent–Wevelgem in 1999.
Featured in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this autographed jersey serves as a memento of Tom Steels’ first national title. The photograph of him receiving the jersey establishes a personal connection with the rider and makes this kit a particularly well-documented record of one of the finest periods of his career.
ITEM N° 494
TAMAMES IGLESIAS Agustín (E)
(19.10.1944)
His yellow jersey as winner of the 1975 Vuelta a España
Born on 19 October 1944 in Monterrubio de Armuña, in the province of Salamanca, Agustín Tamames Iglesias is a former Spanish cyclist who turned professional between 1969 and 1977. An excellent climber and a formidable contender in stage races, he achieved his greatest successes on the roads of the Vuelta.
As early as 1970, he finished second in the Vuelta a España and won the mountains classification. Finishing third in the race in 1972, he gradually proved that he possessed the qualities needed to challenge for overall victory.
His honours list includes eleven stage wins in the Vuelta, the 1972 Tour of Asturias, the 1975 Tour of Aragon, as well as several victories in major Spanish races. In 1976, he also became Spanish road champion.
He reached the peak of his career during the 1975 Vuelta. Riding for the Super Ser team and initially tasked with supporting Luis Ocaña, Agustín Tamames quickly established himself as one of the race’s leading contenders. This 30th edition of the Tour of Spain, held from 22 April to 11 May 1975, comprised a prologue and nineteen stages, covering a total distance of 3,104 kilometres. Agustín Tamames’s victory remains one of the most hotly contested successes in the history of the race.
The item on display is a yellow jersey signed by Agustín Tamames and associated with his triumph in the 1975 Vuelta.
The contemporary photograph shows Agustín Tamames presenting the jersey himself. It complements the historical image of the champion in action and establishes a personal link between the rider, his victory and the item now preserved. The winner’s signature, affixed to the chest, directly personalises the garment and enhances its documentary value.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this signed yellow jersey bears witness to the greatest success of Agustín Tamames’s career. It keeps alive the memory of a Vuelta won following a spectacular turnaround on the final day.
