Hennie Kuiper

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hennie Kuiper

Hendrikus Andreas Kuiper (born February 3, 1949 in Denekamp ) is a former Dutch cyclist .

Kuiper was born in the immediate vicinity of the German-Dutch border on the Nordhorn-Almelo Canal , where his parents ran a farm. He is a trained mechanical engineer.

Kuipertje, as he was called because of his slim figure, was only intended for the 100-kilometer team time trial at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, with which he achieved third place. The bronze medal was withdrawn from the Dutch team because of a doping case. After another driver retired, he was also nominated for the road race at short notice, in which he won the gold medal. He covered the 182.4 kilometers in 4: 14.37 hours. Since the road races at the Olympic Games were considered amateur world championships from 1972 to 1992, he is also amateur world champion of the year 1972.

In the same year he won the British Milk Race .

After this surprising triumph, he switched to the professional camp for the German team Rokado and became professional world champion in 1975. In 1976 he won the Tour de Suisse , in 1977 and 1980 he was second in the Tour de France . Kuiper, a calm and reserved guy, was also able to win some classics, such as 1983 Paris – Roubaix and 1985 - at the age of 36 - the spring classic Milan-San Remo .

In 1977 he was elected “Sportsman of the Year” in the Netherlands and in 1988 he was knighted in the Order of Oranje-Nassau . In Oldenzaal a bridge named after him in his hometown Denekamp a bicycle tunnel. In Geulhem (South Limburg) there is a Hennie-Kuiper-Allee and on the course of the racing classic Paris-Roubaix , a work of art reminds of the then world-famous photo of this breakdown at the point where Kuiper once had a flat tire. Even a LINT diesel railcar operated by the local transport company Keolis Nederland is named after him.

After his active career, Hennie Kuiper remained connected to cycling as a sporting director. Until 1996 he was a tour guide; Today he works among other things as a guest and sponsor companion at international bike races. Kuiper is married for the second time and lives in Lonneker .

literature

Web links

Commons : Hennie Kuiper  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Kuiper, Hennie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kuiper, Hendrikus Andreas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch cyclist
DATE OF BIRTH February 3, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Denekamp