PeloPics: Thirty-five years in the past, again within the late 80s, the 7-Eleven staff from the US and Britain’s ANC-Halfords squad have been nonetheless a little bit of a novelty. We take a retro take a look at the Amstel Gold Race Dutch Traditional in 1987 by the lens of Cor Vos.

# Ed Hood talked to third positioned Malcolm Elliott in regards to the race HERE. #

Joop Zoetemelk was the ‘shock’ winner in 1987

Within the finalé of Amstel’87, three Dutchmen joined forces to verify Malcolm Elliott of the ANC staff wouldn’t win their Traditional. Joop Zoetemelk (Superconfex), Steven Rooks (PDM) and Teun Van Vliet (Panasonic) labored collectively to both tire Elliott or permit one in every of them to flee for the win. Joop Zoetemelk took the win forward of Rooks, with Elliott in third. Van Vliet was fourth with break free companion Bruno Cornillet (Z-Peugeot) in fifth as Phil Anderson introduced within the peloton over a minute and a half down. Zoetemelk had eased himself away from the others three kilometres from the end in Meersen in an identical fashion that he received the 1985 world championships.

The decisive transfer of the race got here after 175 of the 242 kilometres, Gerard Veldscholten (PDM), Nico Verhoeven (Superconfex) and Eddy Planckaert (Panasonic) opened a close to 2 minute lead. They have been caught by a nine-man group that included Anderson, his Panasonic team-mate Allan Peiper and Zoetemelk. Extra riders came visiting to the entrance group to make it 25 up entrance and Malcolm Elliott was amongst them. Cornillet attacked, splitting the group and Elliott was there with Anderson, Van Vliet, Zoetemelk and Ludo Peeters (Superconfex). Eric Van Lancker and Theo De Rooy of Panasonic joined them together with Adrie Van der Poel (PDM) making it 13. 17 kilometres to go and Verhoeven made his bid, solely to be caught. As they crested the summit of the Cauberg climb; Rooks, Van Vliet, Elliott and Zoetemelk went clear and solely Cornillet may be part of them. Van Vliet was subsequent to assault to pressure Elliott to counter, however this set the scene for Zoetemelk’s daring transfer. Rooks went clear to complete second, 29 seconds down. Elliott, in third place, took four-seconds out of Het Volk winner Van Vliet.

Elliott was the primary home-sponsored British professional to get into the primary three in a basic and ANC-Halfords had three different finishers; Bernard Chesneau was twelfth, Adrian Timmis fortieth and Chris Lillywhite 63rd of the 70 riders who crossed the end line in Meersen.

Panasonic’s Henk Lubberdink was a category act – Turned professional for Peter Submit in 1977 and stayed with him his entire profession till his retirement in 1992 after 58 victories. Lubberding owned a farm in Voorst, Netherlands and labored on it even when he was racing

Australian Allan Peiper – Professional for 10 years, stopping in 1992. Since 2005 Peiper has labored for Davitamon Lotto, T-Cellular, Excessive Highway, Columbia-Excessive Highway, HTC-Columbia, HTC-Excessive Highway and Garmin-Sharp as a Sport Director and BMC as a Sporting Supervisor. Now in 2020 he’s with UAE Group Emirates

Adrie van der Poel was ninth in Amstel’87, however received in 1990. You add to that: Flanders, Liege, Brabantse Pijl, San Sebastian, Paris-Brussel, Paris-Excursions and the Scheldeprijs. Throw in a cyclocross World championship and father to Mathieu and David

Rudy Dhaenens was World champion in 1990, aside from that had a modest palmarès, however was a robust staff rider. Dhaenens died in 1998 on the age of 37 in a automobile crash on his technique to the end of the Tour of Flanders the place he would have been working for EuroSport TV

The perm was standard within the 80s – Tour de France winner and KOM x 6, Lucien Van Impe

Ed Hood spoke to Malcolm Elliot a couple of years after the 1987 Amstel Gold Race. “Don’t keep in mind a lot in regards to the race apart from the final 20 or 30 kilometres. Approaching to the Cauberg climb within the closing levels there was a little bit of a lull then Steven Rooks (twice Dutch professional champion and winner of the Amstel and Liege-Bastogne-Liege) and Teun Van Vliet (winner of Het Volk and Gent-Wevelgem) went to the entrance, they didn’t put in a fierce assault, however they did up the tempo and commenced to open a niche, Joop Zoetemelk (1980 Tour winner and 1985 World Champion) moved to get on to them, I tucked in behind him and we bridged-up.”

Third within the Dutch Traditional – Malcolm Elliott

“I will need to have good legs as a result of it didn’t really feel like we have been flying however we quickly had a 30 second hole, Bruno Cornillet (Z-Peugeot & France, a winner of the Tour of Valencia and the Circuit de la Sarthe) got here up and that made 5 of us up the highway. It didn’t really feel like we have been driving our legs off, nobody appeared totally dedicated however there have been little jumps getting in, all of us stored rolling-through although to maintain the momentum going. Zoetemelk went to the entrance – I feel it was Rooks who was behind him – he simply rode off the entrance, all of us hesitated, checked out one another and the hole grew, 5 seconds, then ten, then 20 then it was an excessive amount of for one rider to bridge on their very own.”

Steven Rooks placing the ache on Van Vliet and Zoetemelk

“I can’t keep in mind why however I had it in my head that Van Vliet was the man to look at as a result of I assumed that he had paid-off Rooks and Zoetemelk so I didn’t think about it might be the race-winning transfer. Rooks took me abruptly and jumped away for second however I put ten lengths into Van Vliet to take third simply with Cornillet again in fifth. After the race I used to be fairly pleased with the experience however you’ll be able to’t assist however take into consideration how issues may need gone, I had hoped that Dutch rivalries may need are available in to play and I may have benefited however it didn’t work out like that. Simply final yr although I heard that Rooks and Van Vliet had been arguing coming in to the end that day, one in every of them had achieved the opposite a favour at Het Volk and needed it repaid, however the different wouldn’t do it as a result of the Amstel is such a giant deal in Holland.”

Van Vliet and Phil Anderson in management for Panasonic

Steven Rooks and Didi Thurau had their eye on the motion

ANC’s Paul Watson was energetic in Amstel, however it was his sixth place in Flèche Wallonne that made the headlines

Eric Van Lancker was to win Amstel in ’89

Adrian Timmis was fortieth in Amstel, however later within the yr he took a stage win within the Midi Libre and completed eighth total and completed the Tour de France

Ferdi Van Den Haute – Oakley glasses, clipless pedals and hidden brake cables – Cool!

Possibly not the race for Eddy Planckaert – however he completed seventh

The late Claude Criquielion – World champion, Tour of Flanders, San Sebastian, Brabantse Pijl and double Flèche Wallonne winner was within the High Ten 5 instances within the Amstel Gold

Britain’s Chris Lillywhite was a primary yr professional in 1987 and had a protracted and profitable profession

Paul Watson subsequent to Kim Andersen

Man Gallopin was introduced into the ANC staff for a little bit of French expertise – Nonetheless driving his KAS bike from the earlier season – Brother of Alain and uncle of Tony

Watson placing in an assault with Patrick Verschueren

Nico Verhoeven

Gerard Veldscholten

Joop Zoetemelk was the person to look at

7-Eleven’s Doug Shapiro was in hassle on the climb

A push is at all times welcome

Tour de France, Vuelta a España winner and World champion, plus many different wins and placings – Joop Zoetemelk was virtually 41 years previous when received the 1987 Amstel Gold Race, his ultimate yr as a professional

The final podium of a protracted profession

Mart Smeets interviews winner Joop Zoetemelk and 4th positioned Teun Van Vliet

Amstel’87 race motion:

1987 Amstel Gold Race Consequence:
1. Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) Superconfex in 6-12-51
2. Steven Rooks (Ned) PDM at 0:29
3. Malcolm Elliott (GB) ANC-Halfords at 0:31
4. Tuen Van Vliet (Ned) Panasonic at 0:35
5. Bruno Cornillet (Fra) Z-Peugeot at 0:40
6. Phil Anderson (Aus) Panasonic at 1:31
7. Eddy Planckaert (Bel) Panasonic at 1:37
8. Nico Verhoeven (Ned) Superconfex
9. Adrie Van der Poel (Ned) PDM
10. Theo De Rooy (Ned) Panasonic
26. Allan Pieper (Aus) Panasonic
40. Adrian Timmis (GB) ANC-Halfords at 6:44
54. Francesco Moser (It) Chateau d’ax at 9:47
58. Jonathan Boyer (USA) 7-Eleven at 12:03
63. Chris Lillywhite (GB) ANC-Halfords
68. Rual Alcala (Mex) 7-Eleven.

Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly publication to obtain updates and reminders on what’s cool in highway biking?