Erik Dekker
Encyclopedia
Hendrik "Erik" Dekker is a retired Dutch
professional road racing cyclist active from 1992 until 2006. He was a member of the Rabobank cycling team
from 1996 till 2006. In 2007 he became one of Rabobank's team managers.
in 1987 and at the road race in the 1992 Summer Olympics
.
In that Olympic road race
, Dekker got away at 30 km before the finish, together with Fabio Casartelli
and Dainis Ozols
. Dekker was outsprinted by Casartelli, but was so happy that he won a medal that he also finished with his arms in the air.
Directly after the Olympic Games, he became professional, and rode his first race a few weeks later in the Tour de l'Avenir
.
. In 1997 Dekker won the Ronde van Nederland
, but a large part of 1998 was lost because of injuries.
In 1999, Dekker was sanctioned for a few weeks because of a too high hemotacrit-level. This meant that he could not start in the World Road Race Championship.
The year 2000 was Dekker's best. He won three stages in the 2000 Tour de France
, although neither a sprinter nor a favourite for the overall win, and was voted most combatitive cyclist
. In the autumn of that year, Dekker won his first classic, the Clásica de San Sebastián
.
In 2001 Dekker won the Amstel Gold Race
and the UCI Road World Cup. In the 2001 Tour de France
he took a stage, after having helped his team mate Marc Wauters
to a stage win. At the end of the year he was named Dutch Sportsman of the year
.
The years 2002 and 2003 were less successful because of injuries. He came back in 2004 in the spring classics and a victory in Paris–Tours. He had announced his retirement for the autumn of 2006, but he crashed heavily in the 2006 Tour de France
and decided to stop.
1994
1995
1996 National Time Trial Championship
1997
1999
2000 National Time Trial Championship
2001
2002 National Time Trial Championship
2003
2004
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...
professional road racing cyclist active from 1992 until 2006. He was a member of the Rabobank cycling team
Rabobank (cycling)
Rabobank is a professional bicycle racing team, sponsored by the Rabobank. The team consists of three sections: ProTeam , Continental , and Cyclo-cross...
from 1996 till 2006. In 2007 he became one of Rabobank's team managers.
Amateur career
Dekker rode his first race at eight, and soon became successful. In 1985 he was invited to join the national selection for juniors. As an amateur, his most important results were second places at the youth world championships in BergamoBergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
in 1987 and at the road race in the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
.
In that Olympic road race
Cycling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's individual road race
These are the official results of the Men's Individual Road Race at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. There were a total number of 154 participants, with 84 cyclists actually completing the race.-Final classification:-Non-finishers:...
, Dekker got away at 30 km before the finish, together with Fabio Casartelli
Fabio Casartelli
Fabio Casartelli was an Italian cyclist and an Olympic gold medalist who died in a crash on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet, France, during the 15th stage of the 1995 Tour de France.He was born in Como, Italy....
and Dainis Ozols
Dainis Ozols
Dainis Ozols is a professional cyclist from Latvia. In the 1992 Summer Olympics he earned a bronze medal in the 194 km road race, finishing in 4:32:24, 3 seconds behind Erik Dekker of the Netherlands and 4 seconds behind the winner Fabio Casartelli of Italy.His surname is often misspelled as...
. Dekker was outsprinted by Casartelli, but was so happy that he won a medal that he also finished with his arms in the air.
Directly after the Olympic Games, he became professional, and rode his first race a few weeks later in the Tour de l'Avenir
Tour de l'Avenir
Tour de l'Avenir is a French road bicycle racing stage race, which started in 1961 as a race similar to the Tour de France and over much of the same course but for amateurs and for semi-professionals known as independents. Riders competed in national teams...
.
Professional career
His first win as a professional was a stage of the Vuelta al País Vasco of 1994, the year he rode his first Tour de FranceTour 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...
. In 1997 Dekker won the Ronde van Nederland
Ronde van Nederland
The Ronde van Nederland is a road bicycle racing stage-race in the Netherlands, founded in 1948. It's an annual race since 1975. Because of the start of the UCI ProTour in 2005 the tour was replaced by the Eneco Tour of Benelux....
, but a large part of 1998 was lost because of injuries.
In 1999, Dekker was sanctioned for a few weeks because of a too high hemotacrit-level. This meant that he could not start in the World Road Race Championship.
The year 2000 was Dekker's best. He won three stages in the 2000 Tour de France
2000 Tour de France
The 2000 Tour de France was the 87th Tour de France, and took place from July 1 to July 23, 2000. It was won by American cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Tour started with an individual time trial in Futuroscope and ended traditionally in Paris. The distance travelled was 3662.5 km...
, although neither a sprinter nor a favourite for the overall win, and was voted most combatitive cyclist
Combativity award
The combativity award, , is a prize given in the Tour de France. It favours constant attackers and since 1981 the winner of the award has not won the whole Tour.- History :...
. In the autumn of that year, Dekker won his first classic, the Clásica de San Sebastián
Clásica de San Sebastián
The Donostia-Donostia Klasikoa - Clásica San Sebastián-San Sebastián is a cycle race that has been held every summer since 1981 in San Sebastián, Spain...
.
In 2001 Dekker won the Amstel Gold Race
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
and the UCI Road World Cup. In the 2001 Tour de France
2001 Tour de France
The 2001 Tour de France was particularly difficult, having contained a 67-km long team time trial, two individual time trials and five mountain-top finishes on consecutive days, the second of which being the Chamrousse special category climb time trial. Thus, all the high-mountain stages were...
he took a stage, after having helped his team mate Marc Wauters
Marc Wauters
Marc Wauters is a former Belgian cyclist who was professional from 1991 until 2006. The 2004 Olympian, nicknamed The Soldier was a member of the Rabobank cycling team of the UCI ProTour since 1998 and had to end his career several weeks short because of a broken collarbone which he suffered during...
to a stage win. At the end of the year he was named Dutch Sportsman of the year
Dutch Sportsman of the year
The Dutch Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are chosen annually by Dutch athletes from a shortlist compiled by sports journalists. The elections are organized by the Dutch Olympic Committee.- Sporter of the Year :...
.
The years 2002 and 2003 were less successful because of injuries. He came back in 2004 in the spring classics and a victory in Paris–Tours. He had announced his retirement for the autumn of 2006, but he crashed heavily in the 2006 Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
and decided to stop.
Major results
1992- Olympic Games road raceCycling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's individual road raceThese are the official results of the Men's Individual Road Race at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. There were a total number of 154 participants, with 84 cyclists actually completing the race.-Final classification:-Non-finishers:...
: Silver medal
1994
- Tour of SwedenTour of SwedenThe Tour of Sweden was an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race held in Sweden from 1982 to 2002.- Past winners :* 1982 : * 1983 : * 1984 : * 1985 : * 1986 : * 1987 : * 1988 : * 1989 : * 1990 : * 1991 :...
- 101st 1994 Tour de France1994 Tour de FranceThe 1994 Tour de France was the 81st Tour de France and included two stages in England , Stage 4, Dover to Brighton and Stage 5, around Portsmouth. It took place July 2 to July 24, 1994...
1995
- Tour of Sweden
1996 National Time Trial Championship
1997
- Ronde van Nederland1997 Ronde van NederlandThese are the results for the 37th edition of the Ronde van Nederland cycling race, which was held from August 26 to August 30, 1997. The race started in Tilburg and finished after 895.7 kilometres in Landgraaf ....
: (overall)
1999
- GP Eddy Merckx (with Marc Wauters)
- Ronde van Nederland1999 Ronde van NederlandThese are the results for the 39th edition of the Ronde van Nederland cycling race, which was held from August 24 to August 28, 1999. The race started in Gouda and finished in Landgraaf .-Final classification:-External links:*...
: (2nd overall)
2000 National Time Trial Championship
- Tour de France2000 Tour de FranceThe 2000 Tour de France was the 87th Tour de France, and took place from July 1 to July 23, 2000. It was won by American cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Tour started with an individual time trial in Futuroscope and ended traditionally in Paris. The distance travelled was 3662.5 km...
: 3 stages - Ronde van Nederland2000 Ronde van NederlandThese are the results for the 40th edition of the Ronde van Nederland cycling race, which was held from August 21 to August 26, 2000. The race started in Den Bosch and finished in Landgraaf.-Final classification:-External links:*...
: (overall) - Clásica de San SebastiánClásica de San SebastiánThe Donostia-Donostia Klasikoa - Clásica San Sebastián-San Sebastián is a cycle race that has been held every summer since 1981 in San Sebastián, Spain...
2001
- UCI Road World Cup Champion
- Tour de France2001 Tour de FranceThe 2001 Tour de France was particularly difficult, having contained a 67-km long team time trial, two individual time trials and five mountain-top finishes on consecutive days, the second of which being the Chamrousse special category climb time trial. Thus, all the high-mountain stages were...
: 1 stage - Vuelta a AndalucíaVuelta a AndalucíaThe Vuelta a Andalucía or Ruta del Sol is a regional Spanish road bicycle race. Since 2005, it has been a 2.1 category race on the UCI Europe Tour....
- Amstel Gold Race2001 Amstel Gold RaceThe 2001 Amstel Gold Race was the 36th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 28, 2001 in the Limburg province, The Netherlands. The race stretched 257 kilometres, with the start and finish in Maastricht. There were a total number of 190 competitors, with...
2002 National Time Trial Championship
- Tirreno–Adriatico: (overall)
2003
- Grand Prix Erik Breukink
2004
- 7th, Amstel Gold Race2004 Amstel Gold RaceThe Amstel Gold Race 2004 was the 39th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 18, 2004 in the Limburg province, The Netherlands. The race stretched 251.1 kilometres, with the start in Maastricht and the finish in Valkenburg...
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:... - Paris–Tours
External links
- Erik Dekker Classic, a cycling race for amateurs that supports Foundation KiKaFoundation KiKaThe Foundation KiKa is a Dutch charity foundation that brings in fundings solely for research to childhood cancers...
, named after and organised by Erik Dekker