Flandria (cycling team)

Flandria

Flandria at the 1964 Tour de France
Team information
Registered	Belgium
Founded	1957
Disbanded	1979
Discipline	Road
Status	UCI Division I
Key personnel
General manager	Briek Schotte
Team manager(s)	Jean de Gribaldy
Team name history
1959 1960–1961 1962 1963 1964–1965 1966 1967–1968 1969 1970–1971 1972 1973 1974–1975 1976 1977 1978 1979	Flandria–Dr.Mann Wiel's–Flandria Flandria–Faema–Clément Flandria–Faema Flandria–Romeo Flandria Flandria–De Clerck Flandria–De Clerck–Krüger Flandria–Mars Beaulieu–Flandria Flandria–Carpenter–Shimano Carpenter–Confortluxe–Flandria Flandria–Velda–West Vlaams Vleesbedrijf Flandria–Velda–Latina Assicurazioni Flandria–Velda–Lano Flandria–Ça va seul

Team Flandria was a Belgian professional cycling team that existed from 1957 to 1979. It was sponsored by Flandria a bicycle manufacturer located in West Flanders that also manufactures mopeds, lawnmowers, and motorbikes.

History

Started with a team built around Jo Planckaert, and Rik Van Looy. Youngsters Eddy Merckx, Peter Post, Herman Van Springel, and Walter Godefroot all joined at early stages of their career, although some such as Merckx left soon after to become leader of his own team.

After Van Looy's retirement, Belgian Freddy Maertens took over the leadership mantle, famous for his rivalry with Eddy Merckx. Irishman Sean Kelly also started his professional career with Flandria, as Maertens' super-domestique.

Roster

1975

Rider Date of birth  Previous team  Christian Ardouin April 18, 1952 Merlin Plage-Shimano-Flandria (1974) Eddy Cael October 24, 1945 Raphaël Coene November 05, 1950 Merlin Plage-Shimano-Flandria (1974) Carlos Cuyle January 25, 1953 Wilfried David April 22, 1946 Peugeot-BP-Michelin (1972) Ronald De Witte October 21, 1946 Régis Delépine December 22, 1946 Merlin Plage-Shimano-Flandria (1974) Marc Demeyer April 19, 1950 Robert Fontaine February 12, 1950 Walter Godefroot July 02, 1943 Peugeot-BP-Michelin (1972) Cyrille Guimard January 20, 1947 Eric Jacques July 31, 1953 Freddy Maertens February 13, 1952 Gerard Martens December 29, 1948 Gérard Moneyron January 17, 1948 Michel Pollentier February 13, 1951 Jean-Jacques Sanquer November 29, 1946 Merlin Plage-Shimano-Flandria (1974) José Sersté (May 02–Dec 31, note) July 07, 1943 Roger Vandemaele February 01, 1953 Arthur Van De Vijver February 29, 1948 Marcel Van der Slagmolen December 18, 1952 Julien Van Geebergen June 15, 1948 Herman Van Springel August 14, 1943 MIC-Ludo-de Gribaldy (1974) Daniel Verplancke September 21, 1948 Roger Verschaeve May 23, 1951

note: José Sersté, change of team