The medals & plaques - 17 

ITEM N°334

WAGTMANS Wout (NL)
(10.11.1929 – 15.08.1994)

His medal from the 1955 Dutch Middle-Distance Championship

A versatile and particularly popular rider, Wout Wagtmans played a significant role in Dutch cycling during the 1950s. His attacking style enabled him to excel in Grand Tours, one-day races and track events.

The item on display is a medal from the Dutch Middle-Distance Championship behind motorcycles, held in 1955 over a distance of 100 kilometres. The reverse bears the inscriptions ‘Kampioenschap van Nederland’, ‘100 km achter motoren’, ‘W. Wagtmans’, ‘2nd prize’ and ‘1955’. The obverse is adorned with the crowned lion of the Netherlands holding a sword and a bundle of arrows. Set against a blue enamel background, this symbol is surrounded by the name of the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie, the Royal Dutch Cycling Federation. Crafted from silver-coloured metal, the medal features a suspension ring. Its patinated surface and the visible signs of wear on the reverse bear witness to its age and to the fact that it has been kept as a personal memento by the cyclist.

On the road, the 1955 season was also significant for Wout Wagtmans. He won a stage of the Tour de France between Pau and Bordeaux, wore the yellow jersey for two days and finished second in the points classification.

The photograph accompanying the item shows Wout Wagtmans after a race, smiling. It evokes the warm personality and charisma of a champion much loved by the public.

However, a discrepancy in the records must be noted: the medal clearly bears the inscription ‘2e prijs’, whilst several published lists of results credit Wagtmans with third place in the 1955 national middle-distance championship. A review of the official results from that period would be necessary to determine the exact origin of this discrepancy.

On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this medal bears witness to Wout Wagtmans’ commitment to the spectacular middle-distance events and his remarkable versatility on both the road and the track.