Edward Sels

Edward Sels, 1964

Edward Sels (born August 27, 1941 in Vorselaar ) is a former Belgian cyclist .

In 1961 Edward Sels became Belgian military champion in road racing; the following year he took third place at the Belgian Amateur Championships and won the U23 class at the Tour of Flanders . He started at the UCI Road World Championships in the same year, but could not deny the race to the end; After his trainer had given him a drink, he fell off his bike with cramps, he later reported.

Then Sels joined the professionals. As such, he achieved numerous victories in the Belgian criteria , but was also successful internationally. He won several stages of the Vuelta a España , achieved top places at Paris-Roubaix , Gent-Wevelgem , Omloop Het Volk , won the Ronde van Limburg in 1967 , the Grand Prix of the Canton of Aargau and in 1968 the Schaal Sels Merksem race .

1964 Sels became Belgian professional road champion; In 1965 he won Paris-Brussels and in 1966 the Tour of Flanders . He took part in the Tour de France five times between 1964 and 1970 , won four stages in 1964 , wore the yellow jersey for two days and was 33rd overall. In four other participations he gave up prematurely, but was able to win another stage in 1965 and in 1966, despite his later retirement, took third place in the ranking for the green jersey .

From 1971 onwards things went downhill with Edward Sels. In 1972 he last got a contract with "Goldor-Ijsboerke"; however, there was a dispute because his brother-in-law was selling beer other than the Goldor brand in his beverage trade. Sels resigned from cycling and in turn opened a beverage store.

Edward Sels came from a very poor background; he was born in a trailer during the war and had four siblings. His sister Rosa was Belgian road champion in 1960 and vice world champion in 1960 and 1963, and his younger brother Karel was also a good racing driver.

literature

• Herman Laitem, Jozef Hamels: De Tricolore Trui. 1882-2007. 125 Jaar Belgian Campaign Schappen. Pinguin Productions et al., Balegem et al. 2008, ISBN 978-90-73322-21-9 , p. 147.

Web links

• Edward Sels in the Radsportseiten.net database
• Edward Sels in the Tour de France database(French / English )