Johan Museeuw (born 13 October 1965 in Varsenare) is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and was particularly successful in theclassic cycle races in the nineties. Cycling Museeuw is the winner of 11 World Cup races, including six victories in Monument events: • Tour of Flanders 1993, 1995, 1998 • Paris–Roubaix 1996, 2000, 2002 • Züri-Metzgete 1991, 1995 • Paris–Tours 1993 • HEW Cyclassics 2002 • Amstel Gold Race 1994 He won the World Cup in 1995 & 1996. He was also the Belgian Champion in 1992 & 1996. Museeuw won the World Cycling Championship in the road race in Lugano 1996. In that year, he also won the UCI Road World Cup, the only rider in history to accomplish both in the same year. Museeuw also won the following classics and semi-classics: • Omloop Het Volk 2000, 2003 • Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne 1994, 1997 • Dwars door Vlaanderen 1993, 1999 • E3 Prijs Vlaanderen 1992, 1998 • Brabantse Pijl 1996, 1998, 2000 Biography Museeuws father Eddy rode as a pro for two seasons without much success. Johan started his professional career in 1988 with ADR. In 1989 he was part of the ADR team in which Greg LeMond won his second Tour de France. In 1990 Museeuw went to the Lotto team for which he won two stages in the Tour de France that year. Later on he rode for the MG-GB, Mapei, Domo-Farm Frites and Quick-Step. He ended his career in the spring of 2004. Starting as a sprinter, Museeuw won the final stage of his first Tour de France in 1990. He subsequently traded his powerful sprint for more endurance and stamina that allowed him to win the spring classics such as Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. While his attempt to set a new record by winning both races four times failed, he holds the record for the number of combined podium places in those races. He is often compared to other Flemish spring classics specialists such as Roger de Vlaeminck. He has a special friendship with current Quickstep team manager Patrick Lefevere (formerly of Mapei and Lotto-Domo) who admitted that he treats all his riders the same, but Museeuw has a special place in his heart. One week after winning the 1998 Tour of Flanders, Museeuw had a terrible fall in Paris–Roubaix (Bois de Wallers) in which his knee was shattered. On top of this came a dangerous infection which almost caused him to lose the injured leg. He fought back and resumed cycling after a long healing process. A couple of years later, he was again injured in a motor cycle accident. His dogged determination and powerful riding style won him legions of fans all over the world, but he is especially popular in his native Flanders, and was nicknamed Lion of Flanders. Upon crossing the finish line in victory in the 2000 Paris–Roubaix, he lifted his left foot and pointed at his knee as a reminder of the injury that almost ended his career two years earlier. Towards the end of his career, he acted as a mentor to Tom Boonen. In his last Classic race the 2004 Paris–Roubaix he punctured while riding in the winning break, losing his last chance of equaling the record of four wins. He finished in tears in fifth place with his long-time rival Peter Van Petegem sixth. Johans last race was the Grote Scheldeprijs held in his native Flanders on 14 April 2004. It was won by his team mate Tom Boonen. He won a tribute race on 2 May in his home town Gistel. After his retirement, Museeuw took up a non-riding position with Quickstep Innergetic. In 2003 a doping allegation surfaced in which Museeuw was implicated. In January 2007, Museeuw gave a press conference in Kortrijk, revealing that he had not been completely honest in my last year as a pro, as I wanted to end my career in style, and announcing his resignation from Quickstep Innergetic. On 24 January 2007 Museeuw confessed to these charges. Reports insinuated his using human growth hormone which he obtained from a Belgian vet Jose Landuyt. The police authorities claimed that Museeuw purchased banned substances and recorded phone conversations that spoke of wasps a codeword for Aranesp, a synthetic drug which increases red blood cell levels. Despite the absence of direct evidence, it was ruled in 2004 that there was sufficient argument for his athletic suspension. In December 2008 Museeuw was convicted of doping offences by a Belgian Court. He was sentenced to ten months imprisonment (suspended) and ordered to pay a fine of 2500 Euro. Jose Landuyt was given a 12 month suspended sentence and the same fine. More recently, Johan has begun marketing his own brand of frames (made in Poland) from a combination of carbon fibre and flax. In 2009 Museeuw left his wife and two children and moved in with his new girlfriend Ilse, who previously had a relationship with cyclist Jo Planckaert. Planckaert was involved in the same doping affair as Museeuw. Victories 1988 Grote Prijs Briek Schotte, Desselgem 1989 GP Deutsche Weinstrasse Criterium Oostende Criterium Deerlijk 5th stage Tour of Belgium 1990 3d stage Driedaagse van De Panne 1st stage Four Days of Dunkirk 1st stage Tour de lOise 3d stage Tour of Ireland, Nissan Classic Tour de France 1st Stages 4 & 21 Dwars door de Morbihan Criterium Aalst Criterium Dilsen Criterium Valkenswaard Criterium Lichtervelde 1991 2nd stage Ruta Del Sol 5th stage Ruta Del Sol 5th stage Four Days of Dunkirk 3d stage Midi Libre 2nd stage Tour of Britain 3d stage Tour of Ireland, Nissan Classic Züri-Metzgete Championship of Flanders Criterium De Haan Criterium Deerlijk Criterium Bavikhove 1992 5th stage Vuelta a Andalucía 1st stage Tour of Valencia 2nd stage Tour of Valencia E3-Prijs Harelbeke Criterium Bellegem 1st stage Bicicleta Vasca 2nd stage Ronde van de Mijnvalleien Criterium Peer Road Championship of Belgium 1993 GP Wielerrevue 4th stage Paris–Nice Dwars door België 4th stage Hofbrau Cup Tour of Flanders 1st stage Tour of Switzerland Paris–Tours Criterium Hengeloo Criterium Bavikhove 1994 Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne Amstel Gold Race Criterium Made Teleport Derny Amsterdam Wielsbeke 8th stage Tour of Switzerland Geraardsbergen Druivenkoers Overijse 1995 Trofeo Laigueglia Omloop de Vlaamse Ardennen, Ichtegem Tour of Flanders 6th stage Four Days of Dunkirk Four Days of Dunkirk Züri-Metzgete Druivenkoers Overijse Grand Prix Eddy Merckx Championship of Flanders Criterium Bavikhove Criterium Graz UCI Road World Cup 1996 Brabantse Pijl Paris–Roubaix Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde 1st stage Tour of Puglia Road Championship of Belgium World Cycling Championship, Lugano UCI Road World Cup 1997 Time trial Four Days of Dunkirk Four Days of Dunkirk 2nd stage Ruta del Sol 4th stage Ruta del Sol 5th stage Ruta del Sol Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne Criterium Peer Criterium Kortrijk GP Breitling (with Camenzind) Criterium Karlsruhe Gala Tour de France 1998 E3-prijs Harelbeke Brabantse Pijl Tour of Flanders 1999 Dwars door België Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde Criterium Bavikhove Grand Prix Briek Schotte, Desselgem 2000 Paris–Roubaix Omloop Het Volk Brabantse Pijl 2001 Dernycriterium Wilrijk 2002 1st stage Guldensporen Tweedaagse Paris–Roubaix Profronde van Made 3d stage Tour du Région wallonne HEW Cyclassics Hamburg Profronde van Almelo 2003 Omloop Het Volk 3d stage Tour of Denmark
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 00:30:00 +0000
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