Johan van der Velde
Encyclopedia
Johan van der Velde is a former Dutch
cyclist. In the 1980 Tour de France
he won the Maillot blanc
, or white jersey, for being the best young rider under 25, also placing 12th overall that year. He had been a racing cyclist for only a year. In the 1981 Tour de France
he took first place on the second and 21st stages, finishing 12th overall for the second year. He rode with TI-Raleigh
in the Tour de France
from 1979 to 1983, and Panasonic in 1986.
, whom he could pace over mountains at impressive speed, but he was also capable of winning on his own. Success came to him early and, he said in an interview with the author Jan Siebelink
("Pijn is genot") that he had trouble coping when that success began to dry up. Van der Velde said he remembered shivering at the start of an Italian race, the skin of his arms wrinkled in goosebumps, because of the amphetamine he had taken just to start.
Addiction to amphetamine and a lifelong habit of petty theft, which he said came from seeing his father bring home things he had stolen from work, brought him into trouble with the law. He was caught stealing lawnmowers and breaking into post office stamp machines to raise money to cover his addiction and his gambling. The jail sentence and the loss of all he had won forced him and his Belgian wife, Josée, to sell the villa they had owned. They moved into a series of anonymous houses and apartments. Van der Velde began hospital treatment for his addiction and became deeply religious. He began work on building sites, rarely saying who he was or what he had been, to rebuild his self-esteem. For many years he tried to keep his address and his identity secret.
television series in 1999 and has worked in public relations for the Quickstep
team, driving its guests at races.
His manager at Ti-Raleigh, Peter Post
, said he had always considered Van der Velde the son that he had never had.
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
cyclist. In the 1980 Tour de France
1980 Tour de France
The 1980 Tour de France was the 67th Tour de France. The total distance was 3945.5 km over 22 stages, the average speed of the riders was 35.317 km/h....
he won the Maillot blanc
Maillot blanc
Numerous cycling stage races award a white jersey to signify the current leader and overall winner of a certain competition. The most prominent of these is perhaps the Tour de France, where the jersey is known as the maillot blanc and is awarded to the best-placed rider under 26 years of age...
, or white jersey, for being the best young rider under 25, also placing 12th overall that year. He had been a racing cyclist for only a year. In the 1981 Tour de France
1981 Tour de France
The 1981 Tour de France was the 68th Tour de France, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1981. The total race distance was 24 stages over 3753 km, with riders averaging 38.96 km/h....
he took first place on the second and 21st stages, finishing 12th overall for the second year. He rode with TI-Raleigh
TI-Raleigh
TI-Raleigh was a Dutch professional road bicycle racing team between 1974 and 1983. The team was created and led by Peter Post.The team was successful in classics and in stage races. Riders included Joop Zoetemelk, Jan Raas, Gerrie Knetemann, Hennie Kuiper, Dave Lloyd, Urs Freuler, Henk Lubberding,...
in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
from 1979 to 1983, and Panasonic in 1986.
Decline
He was distinctive in the peloton for his lean, long-legged appearance, his smooth pedalling style and his long hair. He rode in support of riders such as Joop ZoetemelkJoop Zoetemelk
Hendrik Gerardus Jozef "Joop" Zoetemelk is a retired professional racing cyclist from the Netherlands who has emigrated to France. He started the Tour de France 16 times and finished every time, a record. He won the race in 1980 and also came eighth, fifth, fourth and second...
, whom he could pace over mountains at impressive speed, but he was also capable of winning on his own. Success came to him early and, he said in an interview with the author Jan Siebelink
Jan Siebelink
Jan Siebelink is a Dutch author. In 2005, he wrote the novel Knielen op een bed violen that sold over 500,000 copies. In 1991, he won the Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs for De overkant van de rivier....
("Pijn is genot") that he had trouble coping when that success began to dry up. Van der Velde said he remembered shivering at the start of an Italian race, the skin of his arms wrinkled in goosebumps, because of the amphetamine he had taken just to start.
Addiction to amphetamine and a lifelong habit of petty theft, which he said came from seeing his father bring home things he had stolen from work, brought him into trouble with the law. He was caught stealing lawnmowers and breaking into post office stamp machines to raise money to cover his addiction and his gambling. The jail sentence and the loss of all he had won forced him and his Belgian wife, Josée, to sell the villa they had owned. They moved into a series of anonymous houses and apartments. Van der Velde began hospital treatment for his addiction and became deeply religious. He began work on building sites, rarely saying who he was or what he had been, to rebuild his self-esteem. For many years he tried to keep his address and his identity secret.
Rehabilitation
Van der Velde is now often seen at junior races, where he accompanies his son, also a racer. He took part in a celebrity edition of the Big BrotherBig Brother (Netherlands)
The Dutch Big Brother is the original version of the TV reality shows. It created the format in which contestants live in an isolated house trying to avoid being evicted by the public with the aim of a prize at the end...
television series in 1999 and has worked in public relations for the Quickstep
Quickstep
The quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events...
team, driving its guests at races.
His manager at Ti-Raleigh, Peter Post
Peter Post
Peter Post was a Dutch professional cyclist whose career lasted from 1956 to 1972. Post competed in road and track racing. As a rider he is best remembered for Six-day racing, having competed in 155 races and won 65. Because of this success he was known as “De Keizer van de Zesdaagse” or “The...
, said he had always considered Van der Velde the son that he had never had.
Palmarès
1978- Kellogg's Tour of Britain
- Ronde van Nederland
- Tour de RomandieTour de RomandieThe Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
1979
- Eeklo
- Rijsbergen
- Voerendaal
- Hansweert
1980
- Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
-
Dutch National Road Race ChampionshipDutch National Road Race ChampionshipThe Dutch National Road Race Championships take place annually, on the weekend prior to the start of the Tour de France. First held in 1888, today it is organized by the Top Sports Group, commissioned by the KNWU.- Men:... - Simpelveld
- Venhuizen
- Tour de France1981 Tour de FranceThe 1981 Tour de France was the 68th Tour de France, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1981. The total race distance was 24 stages over 3753 km, with riders averaging 38.96 km/h....
:
Winner young rider classification
- Linne
- 's Heerenhoek
- Dongen
1981
- Huijbergen
- Kloosterzande
- Mijl van Mares
- Tour de France1981 Tour de FranceThe 1981 Tour de France was the 68th Tour de France, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1981. The total race distance was 24 stages over 3753 km, with riders averaging 38.96 km/h....
:- Winner stages 3 and 23
- Valkenswaard
1982
- Acht van Chaam
- Bavel
- Maastricht
- Dutch National Road Race ChampionshipDutch National Road Race ChampionshipThe Dutch National Road Race Championships take place annually, on the weekend prior to the start of the Tour de France. First held in 1888, today it is organized by the Top Sports Group, commissioned by the KNWU.- Men:...
- Maarheeze
- Linne
- Tour de France1982 Tour de FranceThe 1982 Tour de France was the 69th Tour de France, taking place July 2 to July 25, 1982. The total race distance was 22 stages over 2179 miles , with riders averaging 23.649 mph...
:- 3rd place overall classification
1983
- Galder
- Zürich-Metzgete
1984
- Heerhugowaard
- Wanzele
- Thorn
1985
- Coppa BernocchiCoppa BernocchiThe Coppa Bernocchi is an European bicycle race held in Legnano, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
- Giro d'Italia1985 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1985 Giro d'Italia of cycling was held from 16 May to 9 June 1985, consisting of 22 stages for a total of 3,998 km, ridden at an average speed of 37.89 km/h...
:
Winner Maglia ciclaminoMaglia ciclaminoThe points classification in the Giro d'Italia is one of the secondary classifications in the Giro d'Italia. It is determined by the placements in the daily stages, independent from time distances...
(Points Competition)
- Kruiningen
- Kortenhoef
1986
- Brabantse PijlBrabantse PijlThe Brabantse Pijl is a Flanders Classics road bicycle race held annually in Flemish Brabant, Belgium. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2011, it was upgraded to a 1.HC event...
- Draai van de Kaai
- Giro d'Italia1986 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1986 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 69th edition of the race, was held from 12 May to 2 June 1986. It covered a total of 3,858 km at an average speed of 37.615 km/h, in 22 stages...
:- Winner stage 19
- Tour de France1986 Tour de FranceThe 1986 Tour de France was the 73rd Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 27, 1986. The total race distance was 4094 km, distributed over 23 stages and a prologue. It was won by Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour...
:- Winner stage 5
- Wearing yellow jerseyYellow jerseyThe general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
for two days
- Woerden
- Galder
1987
- Giro d'Italia1987 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1987 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 70th running of the race, was held from 21 May to 13 June 1987, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by Stephen Roche.The defending champion Roberto Visentini returned with a strong team to win his second Giro...
:- Winner Maglia ciclaminoMaglia ciclaminoThe points classification in the Giro d'Italia is one of the secondary classifications in the Giro d'Italia. It is determined by the placements in the daily stages, independent from time distances...
(Points Competition) - Winner stage 15 and 16
- Ulvenhout
1988
- Oudenbosch
- Sas van Gent
- Giro d'Italia1988 Giro d'ItaliaThe 1988 Giro d'Italia was the 71st edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours.The Giro started off in Urbino on 23 May. The route included notable climbs such as the Passo di Gavia, the Campitello Matese, the Chiesa in Valmalenco, and the Passo san Marco...
:- Winner Maglia ciclaminoMaglia ciclaminoThe points classification in the Giro d'Italia is one of the secondary classifications in the Giro d'Italia. It is determined by the placements in the daily stages, independent from time distances...
(Points Competition)
See also
- List of doping cases in cycling
- List of Dutch cyclists who have led the Tour de France general classification