Roy Schuiten

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Roy Schuiten


fullname = Roy Schuiten
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1950|12|16
dateofdeath = death date|2006|9|19
country = NED
discipline = Road and track
ridertype = Time-trialist, pursuit
amateuryears =
amateurteams =
proyears = 1974–1975
1976–1977
1978–1979
1980
1981
1982
proteams = TI-Raleigh
Lejeune-BP
Scic-Bottecchia
Inoxpran
Kotter-GBC
Kelme-Merckx
manageyears = 1986
manageteams = PDM-Concorde
majorwins = flagiconUCI World Individual Pursuit Champion (1974, 1975)
Grand Prix des Nations (1974, 1975)
Rund um den Henninger Turm (1975)
updated = July 27, 2007

Roy Schuiten (b. 16 December 1950 Zandvoort, Netherlands - d. 19 September 2006 Praia do Corveiro, Portugal) was a Dutch track and road racing cyclist. After retirement he became a team manager before starting a restaurant.

Background

Schuiten was a tall (1m85), stylish rider who shone as an amateur. He was national pursuit champion, broke the amateur record for 4,000m on an indoor track, and won numerous team time-trials. He came close to not turning professional because his father died in a traffic accident in 1973. [Coup de Pédales, Belgium, September 2006] He stopped cycling for a season to help his mother run the family wine and spirits business in Zandvoort. The following year Schuiten's younger brother, Fred, took over the business and on 17 July 1974 Schuiten turned professional for the Raleigh team run by Peter Post. [Coup de Pédales, Belgium, September 2006]

Track career

Schuiten established himself with Raleigh by winning the world pursuit championship in September 1974, beating Ferdinand Bracke of Belgium in the final. Bracke had been leading until an official indicated there were four laps still to ride when there were six. [Coup de Pédales, Belgium, September 2006] Bracke faded and Schuiten won.

Schuiten won again in 1975 by beating Knut Knudsen of Norway. He won silver medals in 1976 and 1978. [ [http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook/sports_trackWorlds2.html World Championship Track Cycling 2006-1958] , bikecult.com] He was national champion five times.

In 1975 Post encouraged Schuiten to attempt Eddy Merckx's world hour record in Mexico. [http://www.nos.nl/nos/artikelen/2006/09/art000001C6DBFE3604ADE6.html Roy Schuiten (55) overleden] , nos.nl 19 September 2006] The frame-builder Jan Legrand made him a bicycle weighing only 5.7kg. [Coup de Pédales, Belgium, September 2006] but Schuiten failed at his two attempts, unable to cope with the rarified air of Mexico City. Press critisism in Holland was marked and Schuiten, demoralised, never again rode on the track at the same level. [Coup de Pédales, Belgium, September 2006]

"Main track achievements" [ [http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?coureurid=5461 Uitslagen van Roy Schuiten] , dewielersite.nl]
* World championship : Team pursuit (amateurs), 3rd (1973)
* World championship : Individual pursuit, 1st (1974, 1975), 2nd (1976, 1978)
* European championship : Team pursuit, 3rd (1974)
* National championship : Individual pursuit (amateurs), 1st (1972, 1973)
* National championship : Individual pursuit, 1st (1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980), 2nd (1981)
* National championship : 50km , 1st (1975)
* National championship : Motor-paced, 1st (1978)

Road

Schuiten rode the Tour de France twice (finishing 2nd and 3rd in time trials) the Giro d'Italia four times . [http://www.tourdefrance.nl/achtergronden/main.asp?id=1521&page=14 Roy Schuiten, achtergronden] , Tourdefrance.nl] In 1975 he won the Rund um den Henninger-Turm. He won the Grand Prix des Nations in 1974 and 1975. He won the Trofeo Angelo Baracchi (1974 with Francesco Moser and in 1978 with Knut Knudsen), the GP Kanton Aargau Gippingen (1976) and the GP Forli (1979). [ [http://www.veloarchive.com/riders/riders.php?id=S Velo Archive, Riders: S] , veloarchive.com]

He changed teams frequently after leaving Raleigh in 1976, doing well in races up to a week long but best of all when riding against the clock. He won 44 professional races of which 12 were on the track and 14 in time-trials. [Coup de Pédales, Belgium, September 2006]

"Main road achievements" [http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?coureurid=5461 Uitslagen van Roy Schuiten] , dewielersite.nl]
* Dutch National Road Championships for Military : 1st (1971)
* Milk Race : 3 stages + overall 1st (1974)
* Olympia's Tour : overall 1st (1974)
* Trofeo Angelo Baracchi : 1st (1974 with Francesco Moser, 1978 with Knut Knudsen)
* Grand Prix des Nations : 1st (1974, 1975), 2nd (1976)
* Rund um den Henninger Turm : 1st (1975)
* Dauphiné Libéré : 1 stage (1976)
* GP Kanton Aargau Gippingen : 1st (1976)
* Tour Méditerranéen : 2 stages + 1st overall (1976)
* Paris-Nice : 1 stage (1977)
* Tirreno-Adriatico : 3rd overall (1978), 1 stage (1981)
* GP Forli : 1st (1979)
* Acht van Chaam : 1st (1981)

Retirement and death

After retirement in 1982 he became manager of PDM-Concorde in 1986 for a year. [ [http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/ploegfiche.php?id=6981 PDM - Concorde 1986] , dewielersite.net] He then moved to Portugal and started his own restaurant.

He died on 19 September 2006 in Praia de Carvoeiro, aged 55, from a stomach haemorrhage. [Coup de Pédale, Belgium, September 2006] [http://www.nos.nl/nos/artikelen/2006/09/art000001C6DBFE3604ADE6.htmlRoy Schuiten (55) overleden] , nos.nl 19 September 2006]

External links

* [http://www.cyclebase.nl/index.php?uid=0&sid=0&lang=nl&news=nl&pc=normal&page=renner&db=m_baan&id=704 Track profile at Cyclebase.nl]
* [http://www.cyclebase.nl/index.php?uid=0&sid=0&lang=nl&news=nl&pc=normal&page=renner&db=m&id=14626 Road profile at Cyclebase.nl]
* [http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?coureurid=5461 Profile at Dewielersite.net]

References