Mourning for the “Emperor of Herentals”
Two-time cycling world champion is dead
Updated on December 18, 2024 – 1:27 p.mReading time: 1 min.
In the early 1960s, Rik Van Looy dominated cycling. The Belgian has now died at the age of 90.
The cycling world has lost a great: Belgian ex-professional Rik Van Looy is dead. As the Belga news agency reports, the two-time world champion died on Tuesday night after weeks of illness at the age of 90. The “Emperor of Herentals” would have celebrated his 91st birthday on Friday.
Van Looy shaped cycling of his time like no other. During his impressive career he recorded more than 370 victories, including two world championship titles (1960 and 1961) and seven stage victories in the Tour de France. He was also successful at national level: he became Belgian road champion twice.
Van Looy’s importance for the sport was evident even after his career ended. The Rik Van Looy Grand Prix was launched in his honor in 2018 – a road race that runs from Westerlo to Herentals.