Hennie Kuiper Photo Gallery
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Hennie Kuiper wearing the world champion's rainbow stripes in 1975
From the mid 1970s until the mid 1980s, race pelotons let Hennie Kuiper get just a few yards off the front at their extreme peril. There was every chance they would not see the powerful Dutchman again until after the race was over. Though not gifted with a blistering sprint, he could time trial with a speed and power that left many of the world's greatest riders chasing in vain.
The world woke up to Kuiper's abilities on September 7, 1972, when Kuiper won the gold medal at the Munich Olympic Games road race. Indicative of Kuiper's style and ability, he rode the final 40 kilometers alone.
Kuiper then went on to do what only three riders in cycling history have accomplished. He won the world road championships after winning the Olympic road race. And, he's the only rider to win the pro road worlds while still the reigning Olympic road champion.
Kuiper won four of the five single-day Monument races: Tour of Flanders, Giro di Lombardia (1981); Paris-Roubaix (1983) & Milano-San Remo (1985). The only race missing from that list is Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In 1980 he was second in Liège, coming second to an extraordinarily in-form Bernard Hinault in freezing, snowy weather.
His extraordinary 1981 racing season allowed his DAF Trucks team win the UCI's Team World Cup, a season-long competion that was discontinued after 2004.
He never won a Grand Tour, though he rode the Tour de France twelve times. Kuiper won three individual stages, two of them atop Alpe d'Huez. He also won a couple of Vuelta a España stages and the Tour of Switzerland for good measure.
After retiring from racing he managed pro teams, including the 1991 Telekom squad and a stint at Motorola.
Mr. Kuiper has his own English-language web site. And don't forget to check out his new book. It has over 400 photos.
By any measure it was an extraordinary career. Voilà un homme!
Major victories and high placings:
- 1972: (Amateur) Olympic Road Race, Ronde van Drenthe, Milk Race
- 1974: GP Union Dortmund, Tour d'Indre-et-Loire
- 1975: World Road Race Championships, Dutch Road Race Championships, Stage 18 Vuelta a España
- 1976: Tour of Switzerland, Tour de France stage 4
- 1977: Tour de France 2nd GC & Mountains classification & stage 17
- 1978: Tour de France stage 16, Critérium du Dauphiné prologue
- 1979: Tour de France 4th GC
- 1980: Tour de France 2nd GC, Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2nd
- 1981: Tour of Flanders, Giro di Lombardia
- 1982: Grand Prix de Wallonie
- 1983: Paris-Roubaix, Vuelta a España 5th GC
- 1985: Milano-San Remo
- 1973: Ha-Ro (until May)
- 1973-74: Rokado
- 1975: Frisol-GBC
- 1976-78: TI-Raleigh
- 1979-80: Peugeot-Esso-Michelin
- 1981-82: DAF Trucks
- 1983: J. Aernoudt-Rossin
- 1984: Kwantum Hallen-Yoko
- 1985: Verandalux-Dries
- 1986: Skala-Skil
- 1987: Roland-Skala
- 1988: Sigma-Fina
Nickname: The Gentleman, Kuip & Goudkuipje, which is a Dutch cheese-spread, but translates to Gold-Kuipertje, referring to his gold medal
1972: Hennie Kuiper wins the Olympic men's road race in Munich
1975: Kuiper wins the world road championships in Yvoir, Belgium
Kuiper looking sharp in his rainbow jersey in 1975. And that bike: an all Campagnolo Nuovo Record-equipped Reynolds 531 Gazelle.
Can you beat winning a Tour de France stage (1976, stage 4) in a rainbow jersey? That's Eric Loder coming in second.
Kuiper riding the Dijon time trial stage in the 1977 Tour de France.
Kuiper showing how it's done, winning alone atop Alpe d'Huez, stage 17 of the 1977 Tour de France. Kuiper finished second in this Tour, 48 seconds behind winner Bernard Thévenet.
Hennie Kuiper in the leader's jersey after winning the prologue time trial of the 1978 Critérium du Dauphiné
Kuiper racing in the 1978 Tour de France
Hennie Kuiper racing in the 1979 Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Kuiper in 1980, now riding for Peugeot. By that time they didn't have to race on stock PX-10s, which I sold in my bike shop in the mid 1970s for $250.00. The team now got top-end French equipped custom bikes.
Hennie Kuiper and (perhaps) Marc Demeyer racing in the 1979 Paris-Roubaix.
1980 Tour de France. Leading is Robert Alban. Final Winner Joop Zoetemelk is in the center, wearing leader's Yellow Jersey and on the far right is Kuiper, who finished second that Tour.
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Hennie Kuiper at the 1981 Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen)
Kuiper wins the 1981 Tour of Flanders.
Kuiper bookstopped his 1981 season with a win in the Tour of Lombardy (Giro di Lombardia).
Kuiper at the Tour of Lombardy.
In 1982 Kuiper was still riding for DAF Trucks on Gazelle bikes.
He's gone. Kuiper rides the muddy cobbles of the 1983 Paris-Roubaix.
Kuiper crashed twice in the 1983 Paris-Roubaix and then when on a solo break, he hit a small hole in the road, causing his his rear tube to come loose. That forced him to change bikes.
But Kuiper was not to be denied that year. He got a new bike in time for him to keep his solo lead. He finished 1min 15seconds ahead of a chasing quartet led in by Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle.
Kuiper notches up another monument win, the 1985 Milano-San Remo.
Kuiper racing in 1985 for Verandalux on Rossin bikes.
Kuiper being interviewed in 1986.
Fast forward to 2017. Hennie Kuiper is with Giro d'Italia winner Tom Dumoulin.
Now here's a trio to have dinner with. From the left, Joop Zoetemelk, Hennie Kuiper and Jan Janssen (winner TDF 1968). The photo is taken at the Kuiper museum, called the "Hennie Kuiper Native".