Johan Museeuw

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Johan Museeuw

---

image_caption = Museeuw in 2006
fullname = Johan Museeuw
nickname = Lion of Flanders
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|10|13
country = BEL
currentteam = Retired
discipline = Road
role = Rider
ridertype = Classics specialist
amateurteams =
amateuryears =
proyears = 1988-1989
1990-1992
1993-1994
1994-2000
2001-2002
2003-2004
proteams = ADRenting
Lotto
GB-MG
Mapei
Farm Frites
Quick Step
majorwins = flagiconUCI World Cycling Champion (1996)
UCI Road World Cup (1995, 1996)
Tour de France, 2 stages
Ronde van Vlaanderen (1993, 1995, 1998)
Paris-Roubaix (1996, 2000, 2002)
Amstel Gold Race (1994)
HEW Cyclassics (2002)
Paris-Tours (1993)
Züri-Metzgete (1991, 1995)
updated = January 10, 2007

Johan Museeuw (born October 13, 1965 in Varsenare) is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and dominated world cycling in the nineties.

Museeuw is the winner of 11 World Cup races, including six victories in "Monument" events:

*Ronde van Vlaanderen 1993, 1995, 1998
*Paris-Roubaix 1996, 2000, 2002
*Züri-Metzgete 1991, 1995
*Paris-Tours 1993
*HEW Cyclassics 2002
*Amstel Gold Race 1994

He won the World Cup in 1995 & 1996.He was also the Belgian Champion in 1992 & 1996.

Museeuw won the World Cycling Championship in the road race in Lugano 1996. In that year, he also won the UCI Road World Cup, the only rider in history to accomplish both in the same year.

Museeuw also won the following classics and semi-classics:
*Brabantse Pijl 1996, 1998, 2000
*Omloop "Het Volk" 2000, 2003
*E3 Prijs Vlaanderen 1992, 1998
*Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 1994, 1997

Biography

Museeuw's father Eddy rode as a pro for two seasons without much success. Johan started his professional career in 1988 with ADR. In 1989 he was part of the ADR team in which Greg LeMond won his second Tour de France. In 1990 Museeuw went to the Lotto team for which he won two stages in the Tour de France that year. Later on he rode for the MG-GB, Mapei, Domo-Farm Frites and Quick-Step. He ended his career in the spring of 2004.

Starting as a sprinter, Museeuw won the final stage of his first Tour de France in 1990. He subsequently traded his powerful sprint for more endurance and stamina that allowed him to win the spring classics such as Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde van Vlaanderen. While his attempt to set a new record by winning both races four times failed, he holds the record for the number of combined podium places in those races. He is often compared to other Flemish spring classics specialists such as Roger de Vlaeminck. He has a special friendship with current Quickstep team manager Patrick Lefevere (formerly of Mapei and Lotto-Domo) who admitted that he treats all his riders the same, but Museeuw has a special place in his heart.

One week after winning the 1998 Ronde van Vlaanderen, Museeuw had a terrible fall in Paris-Roubaix (Bois de Wallers) in which his knee was shattered. On top of this came a dangerous infection which almost caused him to lose the injured leg. He fought back and resumed cycling after a long healing process. A couple of years later, he was again injured in a motor cycle accident. His dogged determination and powerful riding style won him legions of fans all over the world, but he is especially popular in his native Flanders, and was nicknamed Lion of Flanders. Upon crossing the finish line in victory in the 2000 Paris-Roubaix, he lifted his left foot and pointed at his knee as a reminder of the injury that almost ended his career two years earlier.

Towards the end of his career, he acted as a mentor to Tom Boonen.

In 2003 a doping allegation surfaced in which Museeuw was implicated. On 24 January 2007 Museeuw confessed to these charges. [ [http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/nieuwsfiche.php?nieuwsid=5681 Museeuw confesses to have used doping (in Dutch language)] ] Reports insinuated his using human growth hormone which he obtained from a Belgian vet Jose Landuyt. The police authorities claimed that Museeuw purchased banned substances and recorded phone conversations that spoke of "wasps" a codeword for Aranesp, a synthetic drug which increases red blood cell levels. Despite the absence of direct evidence, it was ruled in 2004 that there was sufficient argument for his suspension and he faces criminal proceedings. In his last Classic race the 2004 Paris-Roubaix he punctured while riding in the winning break, losing his last chance of equaling the record of four wins. He finished in tears in fifth place with his long-time rival Peter Van Petegem sixth. Johan's last race was the Grote Scheldeprijs held in his native Flanders on 14 April 2004. It was won by his team mate Tom Boonen. He "won" a tribute race on 2 May in his home town Gistel. Following his retirement he was suspended and he is not, in theory, allowed to work in cycling. However he could often be seen with the Quickstep team, in a PR function.More recently, Johan has begun marketing his own brand of frames made from a combination of carbon fibre and flax. [http://www.museeuwbikes.be/]

In January 2007, Museeuw gave a press conference in Kortrijk, revealing that he had "not been completely honest in my last year as a pro, as I wanted to end my career in style", and announcing his resignation from Quickstep Innergetic.

Victories

;1988 :Grote Prijs Briek Schotte, Desselgem

;1989 :GP Deutsche Weinstrasse :Criterium Oostende :Criterium Deerlijk :5th stage Tour of Belgium

;1990 :3d stage Driedaagse van De Panne :1st stage Quatre Jours de Dunkerque:1st stage Tour de l'Oise :3d stage Tour of Ireland, Nissan Classic :4th stage Tour de France :21st stage Tour de France :Dwars door de Morbihan :Criterium Aalst :Criterium Dilsen :Criterium Valkenswaard :Criterium Lichtervelde

;1991 :2nd stage Ruta Del Sol :5th stage Ruta Del Sol :5th stage Quatre Jours de Dunkerque:3d stage Midi Libre :2nd stage Tour of Britain :3d stage Tour of Ireland, Nissan Classic:Züri-Metzgete:Championship of Flanders:Criterium De Haan :Criterium Deerlijk :Criterium Bavikhove

;1992:5th stage Vuelta a Andalucía :1st stage Tour of Valencia :2nd stage Tour of Valencia :E3-Prijs Harelbeke :Criterium Bellegem :1st stage Bicicleta Vasca :2nd stage Ronde van de Mijnvalleien :Criterium Peer :flagicon|BELRoad Championship of Belgium

;1993:GP Wielerrevue :4th stage Paris-Nice :Dwars door België :4th stage Hofbrau Cup :Ronde van Vlaanderen:1st stage Tour of Switzerland:Paris-Tours :Criterium Hengeloo :Criterium Bavikhove

;1994:Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne :Amstel Gold Race :Criterium Made :Teleport Derny Amsterdam :Wielsbeke :8th stage Tour of Switzerland:Geraardsbergen :Druivenkoers Overijse

;1995 :Trofeo Laigueglia :Omloop de Vlaamse Ardennen, Ichtegem :Ronde van Vlaanderen :6th stage Quatre Jours de Dunkerque :Quatre Jours de Dunkerque:Züri-Metzgete :Druivenkoers Overijse :Grand Prix Eddy Merckx :Championship of Flanders :Criterium Bavikhove :Criterium Graz :UCI Road World Cup

;1996:Brabantse Pijl :Paris-Roubaix :Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde :1st stage Tour of Puglia :flagicon|BELRoad Championship of Belgium :flagiconUCIWorld Cycling Championship, Lugano :UCI Road World Cup

;1997:Time trial Quatre Jours de Dunkerque:Quatre Jours de Dunkerque:2nd stage Ruta del Sol :4th stage Ruta del Sol :5th stage Ruta del Sol :Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne :Criterium Peer :Criterium Kortrijk :GP Breitling (with Camenzind) :Criterium Karlsruhe :Gala Tour de France

;1998:E3-prijs Harelbeke :Brabantse Pijl :Ronde van Vlaanderen

;1999 :Dwars door België :Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde :Criterium Bavikhove :Grand Prix Briek Schotte, Desselgem

;2000:Paris-Roubaix :Omloop "Het Volk":Brabantse Pijl

;2001:Dernycriterium Wilrijk

;2002:1st stage Guldensporen Tweedaagse :Paris-Roubaix :Profronde van Made :3d stage Tour du Région wallonne :HEW Cyclassics Hamburg :Proftour Almelo

;2003:Omloop "Het Volk":3d stage Tour of Denmark

ee also

* List of doping cases in cycling
*List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links

*Cyclingwebsite|6486

Persondata
NAME= Museeuw, Johan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Road bicycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1965-10-13
PLACE OF BIRTH=Varsenare, Belgium
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=