Johan Museeuw

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 and Quick Step. He ended his career in the spring of 2004 and currently works as a public relations officer for the Quick Step team.

Johan Museeuw is the winner of 11 World Cup stages:

• Ronde van Vlaanderen 1993, 1995, 1998
• Championship of Zürich 1991, 1995
• Paris-Tours 1993
• Paris-Roubaix 1996, 2000, 2002
• HEW Classic 2002
• Amstel Gold race 1994

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

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

One week after winning the 1998 Ronde van Vlaanderen, Museeuw made a terrible fall in Paris-Roubaix in which his knee was shattered. He fought back and resumed cycling after a long healing process. A couple of years later, he was again terribly injured by a motor 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 as his knee as a reminder of the injury that almost ended his career two years earlier.

Museeuw started his career as a sprinter, winning the final stage of the 1990 Tour de France. He subsequently traded his powerful sprint for more endurance and stamina that allowed him to win the spring classics such as Paris-Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen. While his attempt to set a new record by winning either race for the fourth time failed, he hold 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.

Towards the end of his career, he acted as a mentor to Tom Boonen, a young rising Flemish cyclist which many cycling fans hope to become the next Johan Museeuw. Boonen's win in the final stage of the 2004 Tour de France -- just as Museeuw himself won in 1990 -- certainly raised the hopes of many.

In 2003 a doping allegation surfaced in which Museeuw was implicated. Reports insinuated his using human growth hormones 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 and other codewords allegedly for drugs. Despite the absence of direct evidence, it was ruled in 2004 that there was sufficient argument for his suspension. This was decided only after his retirement in 2003.

Palmares

1989 GP Deutsche Weinstrasse Criterium Oostende Criterium Deerlijk 5de etappe Ronde van België 1990 3de etappe Driedaagse van De Panne 1ste etappe Vierdagse van Duinkerken 1ste etappe Tour de l'Oise 3de etappe Ronde van Ierland, Nissan Classic 4de etappe Ronde van Frankrijk 21ste etappe Ronde van Frankrijk Dwars door de Morbihan Criterium Aalst Criterium Dilsen Criterium Valkenswaard Criterium Lichtervelde 1991 2de etappe Ruta Del Sol 5de etappe Ruta Del Sol 5de etappe Vierdaagse van Duinkerken 3de etappe Midi Libre 2de etappe Tour of Britain 3de etappe Ronde Van Ierland, Nissan Classic Kampioenschap van Zürich Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen Criterium De Haan Criterium Deerlijk Criterium Bavikhove 1992 5de etappe Ruta del Sol 1ste etappe Ronde van Valencia 2de etappe Ronde van Valencia E3-Prijs Harelbeke Criterium Bellegem 1ste etappe Bicicleta Vasca 2de etappe Ronde van de Mijnvalleien Criterium Peer BK op de weg 1993 GP Wielerrevue 4de etappe Paris-Nice Dwars door België 4de etappe Hofbrau Cup Ronde van Vlaanderen 1ste etappe Ronde van Zwitserland Paris-Tours Criterium Hengeloo Criterium Bavikhove 1994 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Amstel Gold Race Criterium Made Teleport Derny Amsterdam Wielsbeke 8ste etappe Ronde van Zwitserland Geraardsbergen Druivenkoers Overijse 1995 Trofeo Laigueglia Omloop de Vlaamse Ardennen, Ichtegem Ronde van Vlaanderen 6de etappe Vierdaagse van Duinkerken Kampioenschap van Zürich Druivenkoers Overijse GP Eddy Merckx Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen Criterium Bavikhove Criterium Graz Eindwinnaar Vierdaagse van Duinkerken Wereldbeker 1996 Brabantse Pijl Paris-Roubaix Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde 1ste etappe Ronde van Puglië BK op de weg WK op de weg, Lugano Wereldbeker 1997 Tijdrit Driedaagse van De Panne Eindwinnaar Driedaagse van De Panne 2de etappe Ruta del Sol 4de etappe Ruta del Sol 5de etappe Ruta del Sol Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Criterium Peer Criterium Kortrijk GP Breitling (met 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 GP Briek Schotte, Desselgem 2000 Paris-Roubaix Omloop 'Het Volk' Brabantse Pijl 2001 Dernycriterium Wilrijk 2002 1ste etappe b Guldensporen Tweedaagse Paris-Roubaix Profronde van Made 3de etappe Ronde van het Waals Gewest HEW Cyclassics Hamburg Profronde Almelo 2003 Omloop Het Volk 3de etappe Ronde van Denemarken