Cyclist Theo Smit from Halfweg has passed away at the age of 72. The Royal Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU) reports this today. He will not only be remembered “as a top sprinter who managed to stay ahead of allure riders on the highest possible stage of the Tour”, but also for his versatility and involvement in cycling, the union writes.
Smit died in the neighboring village of Zwanenburg, where he and his wife ran a trade in sports prizes.
Although he had already made a name for himself before the start of his professional career in 1974, his star rose from that year to great heights. After he had won the Ronde van Noord-Holland in 1974, he really surprised friend and foe a year later. He won the fifth stage of the Tour de France by crossing the finish line first in Merlin Plage. In doing so, he beat the Belgian top sprinters and favorites Eddy Merkx and Rik van Linden. In the ninth stage he struck again and won his second stage victory in the Tour.
Text continues below the photo.
In 1976 he did not participate in the Tour de France, but in the Vuelta, the Tour of Spain. He also wrote two stages to his name. In the following years he still participated in major tours, but never reached the highest podium again.
Pioneer on keirin
He shifted his focus from multi-day races to one-day races and to the track, on which he also became Dutch Champion. He is known as one of the Dutch pioneers in the keirin, a discipline in which North Holland Mathijs Büchli won numerous prizes over the past decade.
After his active career, he remained involved in the sport, writes the KNWU. “As national coach on the track, member of the track committee, enthusiast of the sport and supporter of son Dennis.”