Janus Braspennincx won his Olympic medal on the track (with the 1928 Dutch pursuit team), but he was also a gifted road racer. He won the Dutch road racing championships (for professionals) in 1930 and 1937, and placed 2nd in the 1927 Tour of Holland. His main success came on the track, competing mainly in six-days events and other races with his partner Jan Pijnenburg. The two formed a perfect duo, Cannonball Pijnenburg being the sprinter, while Braspennincx’s road experience enabled him to maintain a high pace throughout the race. Braspennincx supposedly amassed more than 500 victories in all kinds of races, including the Six Days of Brussels in 1932. Braspennincx was member of a cycling family, with his brother (Piet), his son (also named Piet) and cousin (John) being cyclists on a national level.
Netherlands