.jpg) Schotte after winning the first stage ofDwars door België 1946 (collection:KOERS Museum) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alberic Schotte | |||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Briek | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1919-09-07)7 September 1919 Kanegem, Belgium | |||||||||||||||||
| Died | 4 April 2004(2004-04-04) (aged 84) | |||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Road | |||||||||||||||||
| Role | Rider | |||||||||||||||||
| Professional teams | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1939 | Mercier | |||||||||||||||||
| 1940–1941 | Mercier /Groene Leeuw | |||||||||||||||||
| 1942 | Mercier / Thompson | |||||||||||||||||
| 1943 | Europe-Dunlop / Thompson | |||||||||||||||||
| 1944 | Helyett / Trialoux–Wolber | |||||||||||||||||
| 1945–1948 | Alcyon /Groene Leeuw | |||||||||||||||||
| 1949 | Alcyon | |||||||||||||||||
| 1950–1951 | Alcyon / Girardengo-Ursus | |||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1955 | Alcyon | |||||||||||||||||
| 1956 | Alcyon /Faema | |||||||||||||||||
| 1957 | Peugeot | |||||||||||||||||
| 1958 | Libertas | |||||||||||||||||
| 1959 | Libertas /Flandria | |||||||||||||||||
| Major wins | ||||||||||||||||||
Grand Tours
Other | ||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Alberic "Briek" Schotte (7 September 1919 – 4 April 2004) was aBelgian professionalroad racing cyclist, one of the champions of the 1940s and 1950s. His stamina earned him the nickname "Iron Briek" (IJzeren Briek).[1]
He wasworld champion in 1948 and 1950, won the last stage of the1947 Tour de France and finished second in the1948 Tour, behindGino Bartali.[2] He twice won theTour of Flanders (1942, 1948),Paris–Tours (1946, 1947) andParis–Brussels (1946, 1952). He also won the inauguralChallenge Desgrange-Colombo, a season-long competition to identify the world's best road rider, in 1948. He holds the record with twenty consecutive participations in the Tour of Flanders and in addition to his two victories made the podium on six other occasions.[3] Schotte corresponded to the archetype of theFlandrien, the diligent farm boy who competes against better equipped and guided riders from France and Italy. Although he himself put that into perspective: "Because of my position on the bike, I gave the impression that I was suffering more than was actually the case".[4]
After retirement in 1959, he was a team coach for 30 years, mostly forFlandria where he also served asDirecteur Sportif for many years. Riders such asRik Van Looy,Herman Van Springel,Freddy Maertens,Eddy Merckx,Sean Kelly,Joop Zoetemelk,Michel Pollentier,Walter Godefroot andRoger De Vlaeminck rode for Schotte at various points during their respective careers. None of these riders would win theTour de France while riding for Flandria, however Zoetemelk would finish 2nd in1970 and1971 while riding under Schotte's direction.[5]
He died on the day of the2004 Tour of Flanders. The commentators during the race said "God must have been one of Briek's greatest fans".
Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Interclubs road race,National Road Championships
OverallTour de Luxembourg Interclubs road race,National Road Championships
Road race,UCI Road World ChampionshipsRoad race,UCI Road World ChampionshipsKampioenschap van Vlaanderen Interclubs road race,National Road Championships Interclubs road race,National Road Championships_-_Briek_Schotte_aan_de_kerk_van_Kanegem.jpg)
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