Frans Van Looy

As an amateur cyclist Frans Van Looy won the Gent-Wevelgem race and two stages of the Tour of Algeria in 1972 before riding in the road race at the München Olympics. Van Looy then turned professional, amassing a string of victories and podium finishes throughout the decade, including wins at the Nokere Koerse semi-classic in Flanders in 1977 and the De Kustpijl road race one year later. He also rode in the Tour de France in 1974 and 1979, as well as the Giro d’Italia in 1976. He then worked as a team manager for Team Telekom and T-Mobile.

After his retirement from cycling Van Looy ran the family farm with his brother. In addition to looking after the animals, the grounds also hosted volleyball and football tournaments, along with dog shows. In 2016 the Flemish government, however, decided that he could no longer use the farm as his residence, despite a petition signed by more than 3,000 people objecting to the decision. The threat of eviction took its toll on Van Looy, who sadly took his own life in September 2019.