Freddy Maertens immortalized with mural

The large-format portrait adorns the garden wall of KOERS. Museum of Cycling.

Freddy Maertens may have been born on the coast, but they have not forgotten him by any means, even in Roeselare, where he has lived for decades. “Like Jempi, Benoni Beheyt and Patrick Sercu, Freddy received an image in the World Champions Hall of the museum last year, but we thought it was important to also give Freddy a face in the streets,” said Mayor Kris Declercq. “His 70th birthday turned out to be the ideal occasion and the garden wall of KOERS the ideal place for this artistic tribute. Our city has gained another fine example of street art.” (read more below the photo)

The mural is the work of Julie ‘Jools’ Vercruysse. The artist does have some experience with paintings of famous people, but it was the first time that she was allowed to portray a cyclist. She based the mural on a photo from the period when Fast Freddy rode for the Boule d’Or cycling team and he became world champion for the second time after a resurrection.