Jan Janssen, Pelforth-Sauvage-Lejeune Team Jersey, late 1967/1968

Johannes Adrianus “Jan” Janssen (born 19 May 1940) is a Dutch former professional cyclist. He was the World Champion and a winner of both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, the first Dutch rider to win either event. He rode the Tour de France eight times and finished all but his first attempt. He won seven Tour stages and wore the yellow jersey for two days, after stage 16 in 1966 and after stage 22B in 1968. In the peloton, he was easily recognized for his blond hair and glasses. Following the death of Federico Bahamontes in August 2023, he became the oldest living Tour de France winner, although not the earliest by year of victory; that distinction belongs to Lucien Aimar, who won in 1966.

Early Life

Janssen was born in Nootdorp, a small town near The Hague and Delft, five days after the Netherlands surrendered to Nazi Germany. He later moved to Putte, a village on the Belgian border between Roosendaal and Antwerp. As a youth, he worked with his parents, excavating foundations for buildings the family firm erected. He joined the cycling club in Delft at 16 and, as a novice, won 25 races in two years.

Career

Janssen rode his first Tour de France in 1963, winning a stage before a crash forced him to abandon. In 1964, he won Paris–Nice, then two Tour stages and the green jersey of points leader. Later that year, he became world champion at Sallanches in France. He wore the green jersey again in 1965, came close to winning the Tour in 1966, and in 1968 became the first Dutchman to win the Tour de France, beating Herman Van Springel by 38 seconds. That margin remained the smallest until 1989, when Greg LeMond won by eight seconds over Laurent Fignon. Janssen did not wear the yellow jersey in 1968 until he reached Paris at the end of the final stage, an individual time trial.

The Tour in 1968, like the previous year, was contested by national teams rather than trade teams. Combining riders who normally raced for rival sponsors created internal tensions, and the Dutch team was not immune to those divisions. Janssen overcame the difficulties and won. His victory, achieved in the orange jersey of the Netherlands rather than the blue, yellow, and white of Pelforth, resonated strongly at home.

Retirement

Janssen retired after a humbling day at the Tour of Luxembourg, when hearing his name listed over the race radio among riders off the pace convinced him it was time to stop. “I knew then that I was Jan Janssen, winner of the Tour de France and the championship of the world, and that it was time for me to stop,” he said.

He left the peloton to run a bicycle frame-building business in Putte, on the Belgian border, a company that still bears his name. His neighbors there included another world champion, Hennie Kuiper. Janssen continued to ride with the Zuid-West Hoek club and made occasional public appearances with other Dutch riders of his era. He has said he enjoys being recognized while out on training rides.

Personality

Dutch race organizer Charles Ruys described Janssen as businesslike, honest, and straightforward, noting that anyone who tried to take advantage of him, whether in a race or in money matters, would find a very tough opponent. Janssen, he said, understood the value of money and could seem like a minister of finance.

Janssen also showed respect and candor when speaking about fellow riders. In a 2007 interview about Tom Simpson, he recalled, “Occasionally Tommy could be annoying. When it was rolling along at 30 km/h and, paf, he would attack. Oh, leave us alone, there is still 150 km to go, pipe down. But often he wanted war.” He added that Simpson could be impolite by attacking in feed zones, which caused panic and crashes; yet, in the evenings, he might appear in the hotel dining room like an English gentleman with a cane and bowler hat, and whatever had happened in the race would be forgotten.

Views on Modern Racing

Reflecting on sponsorship and racing culture, Janssen noted that in his day, riders were expected to perform from February through October to deliver publicity for sponsors. He believes that sponsorship has since grown more sophisticated, with companies buying strong teams and star riders. He has observed changing motivations among professionals, including riders who skip post-Tour criteriums, which he feels is less attractive to the public.

Source: Wikipedia

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