Rini Wagtmans
Encyclopedia
Marinus Wagtmans (born December 26, 1946 in Sint Willebrord
) is a former Dutch
professional road bicycle racer. He was the nephew of Wout Wagtmans
, a former professional who had won the Tour de Romandie
stage race in 1952. His father was a masseur while Tour de France
stage winner Wim van Est
was his neighbour. In 1968 Rini turned professional. The following year he finished third overall in the 1969 Vuelta a España
. He rode four editions of the Tour de France
and won three stages, one in 1970, one in 1971 and one in 1972. In the 1970 Tour de France
he finished fifth overall. In 1971 Tour de France
while riding for Molteni
, he wore the maillot jaune for one day but teammate and team leader Eddy Merckx
took the jersey the following day. He also won two stages in the 1970 Vuelta a España
. Wagtmans was known as one of the best descenders in the peloton and earned him the nickname "witte bles" which is translated as "white blaze". Wagtmans ended his career early due to heart problems. Afterwards he was a member for the Royal Dutch Cycling Union
and then a successful businessman. In 2005, Wagtmans became a ridder or Dutch knight
in the Order of Orange-Nassau
. In 2006, Wagtmans’ biographie was published.
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
Sint Willebrord
Sint Willebrord is a town in the municipality of Rucphen in the Netherlands. It is also known by the name t Heike which was the semi-official name up until 1950/1970 , which is the diminutive form of hei in local dialect...
) is a former Dutch
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 bicycle racer. He was the nephew of Wout Wagtmans
Wout Wagtmans
Wouter Wagtmans was a Dutch road bicycle racer.Together with Wim van Est he belonged to the generation that brought great popularity to cycling in the Netherlands in the 1950s. In 1947, Wagtmans started as amateur, and two years later he became Dutch champion...
, a former professional who had won the Tour de Romandie
Tour de Romandie
The 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....
stage race in 1952. His father was a masseur while 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...
stage winner Wim van Est
Wim van Est
Willem van Est was a Dutch racing cyclist.He is best known for being the first Dutch cyclist to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France of 1951, and for falling into a ravine while wearing it.-Biography:...
was his neighbour. In 1968 Rini turned professional. The following year he finished third overall in the 1969 Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
. He rode four editions of 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...
and won three stages, one in 1970, one in 1971 and one in 1972. In the 1970 Tour de France
1970 Tour de France
The 1970 Tour de France was the 57th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 19, 1970. It consisted of 23 stages over 4366 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.589 km/h....
he finished fifth overall. In 1971 Tour de France
1971 Tour de France
The 1971 Tour de France was the 58th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. It consisted of 22 stages over , ridden at an average speed of ....
while riding for Molteni
Molteni
Molteni was an Italian professional road bicycle racing team from 1958 until the end of 1976. It won 663 races, many of them earned by its most famous rider, Eddy Merckx. Other riders included Gianni Motta and Marino Basso, who contributed 48 and 34 wins respectively...
, he wore the maillot jaune for one day but teammate and team leader Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
took the jersey the following day. He also won two stages in the 1970 Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
. Wagtmans was known as one of the best descenders in the peloton and earned him the nickname "witte bles" which is translated as "white blaze". Wagtmans ended his career early due to heart problems. Afterwards he was a member for the Royal Dutch Cycling Union
Royal Dutch Cycling Union
The Royal Dutch Cycling Union or KNWU is the national governing body of cycle racing in the Netherlands....
and then a successful businessman. In 2005, Wagtmans became a ridder or Dutch knight
Ridder (title)
Ridder is a noble title in the Netherlands and Belgium. The collective term for its holders in a certain locality is the Ridderschap . In the Netherlands and Belgium no female equivalent exists...
in the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
. In 2006, Wagtmans’ biographie was published.
Palmarès
1966- Ronde van Midden-Zeeland
1967
- Österreich RundfahrtÖsterreich RundfahrtThe Tour of Austria is a stage cycling race held in Austria. From 1949 to 1995 it was a race for amateur cyclists, turning into a professional event in 1996. In 2005 and 2006 it was organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour, becoming a 2.HC event in 2007. Since 2005 it has usually been held...
1968
- Roosendaal (NED)
- Acht van Chaam
1969
- Sint-Willebrord
- Ulvenhout
- Kortenhoef
- Tour de France1969 Tour de FranceThe 1969 Tour de France was the 56th Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 20, 1969. It consisted of 22 stages over 4110 km , ridden at an average speed of 35.409 km/h...
:- 6th place overall classification
1970
- Vuelta a España1970 Vuelta a EspañaThe 1970 Vuelta a España was the 25th Vuelta a España, taking place from April 23 to May 12, 1970. It consisted of 19 stages over 3568 km, ridden at an average speed of 39.85 km/h...
:- Winner stages 11 and 13
- Koksijde
- Tour de France1970 Tour de FranceThe 1970 Tour de France was the 57th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 19, 1970. It consisted of 23 stages over 4366 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.589 km/h....
:- Winner stage 15
- 5th place overall classification
- Plumeliau
1971
- Sint-Willebrord
- Tour de France1971 Tour de FranceThe 1971 Tour de France was the 58th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. It consisted of 22 stages over , ridden at an average speed of ....
:- Winner stage 3
- 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 one day
- Acht van Chaam
1972
- Tour de France1972 Tour de FranceThe 1972 Tour de France was the 59th Tour de France, taking place July 1 to July 22, 1972. It consisted of 20 stages over 3846.6 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.371 km/h. The long awaited clash between Eddy Merckx and Luis Ocaña after Ocaña crashed on Col de Menté in the 1971 Tour de...
:- Winner stage 18