Jan Janssen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jan Janssen

Janssen at the 1967 Tour de France
Personal information
Full name	Johannes Adrianus Janssen
Born	(1940-05-19) 19 May 1940 (age 85) Nootdorp, South Holland, Netherlands
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France General classification (1968) Points classification (1964, 1965, 1967) 7 individual stages (1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968) 1 TTT Stage (1963) Vuelta a España General classification (1967) Points classification (1967, 1968) 3 individual stages (1967, 1968) Stage Races Paris–Nice (1964) One-day races and Classics World Road Race Championships (1964) Paris–Roubaix (1967)

Johannes Adrianus "Jan" Janssen (born 19 May 1940) is a Dutch former professional cyclist. He was a world champion and won both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. He was the first Dutch rider to win either of these major races. He rode the Tour de France eight times and finished every time except his first. He won seven stages and wore the famous yellow jersey for two days. Jan Janssen was easy to spot in the race because of his blond hair and glasses.

Early Life and Cycling Start

Jan Janssen was born in Nootdorp, a small town in the Netherlands. This was just after the Netherlands surrendered during World War II. Later, he moved to Putte, a village near the Belgian border.

As a young person, he worked with his parents. They dug foundations for buildings their family company built. When he was 16, he joined a cycling club in Delft. As a new rider, he won 25 races in just two years.

Professional Cycling Career

Jan Janssen became a professional cyclist after a successful amateur career. As an amateur, he won several Dutch classic races. He also rode for the Netherlands in the Tour de l'Avenir, a race for young and independent riders.

Janssen rode for French teams, especially Pelforth-BP. This team was sponsored by a brewer and an oil company. His talent, leadership, and good French skills quickly made him the team leader. At first, he was known as a fast sprinter. But soon, he became a strong rider for multi-day races.

He even competed in the individual road race at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

Winning the Tour de France

Jan Janssen rode his first Tour de France in 1963. He won a stage, but a crash made him leave the race early. In 1964, he won Paris–Nice, another important race. That year, he also won two stages and the green jersey (for points leader) in the Tour de France. Later in 1964, he became the world champion in Sallanches, France.

He won the green jersey again in the 1965 Tour. In 1966, he almost won the entire Tour. But his biggest win came in 1968. He became the first Dutch rider to win the Tour de France. He beat the Belgian rider, Herman Van Springel, by only 38 seconds. This was the smallest winning difference until 1989. Janssen did not wear the yellow jersey (for the overall leader) in 1968 until he reached Paris. He won it on the very last stage, which was a time-trial race.

In 1968, the Tour de France used national teams instead of regular trade teams. This meant riders who were usually rivals had to race together. Janssen had to overcome these team challenges to win. His victory, wearing the orange jersey of the Netherlands, made his win even more special for his home country.

Life After Racing

Janssen with his wife and daughter Karin during his retirement ceremony on 23 September 1972

Jan Janssen decided to stop racing when he felt he was no longer at his best. He was in a race in Luxembourg and heard his name listed among the riders who were far behind.

He said, "I knew then that I was Jan Janssen, winner of the Tour de France and the championship of the world. It was time for me to stop."

After retiring, he started a business that built bicycle frames. His company is in the village of Putte, which is on the border with Belgium. The company still uses his name today. Another world champion cyclist, Hennie Kuiper, was one of his neighbors there. Janssen continued to ride his bike for fun and stayed involved in cycling events. He enjoyed being recognized by fans while out riding.

Personality and Views

People who knew Jan Janssen described him as a serious, honest, and direct person. Charles Ruys, a Dutch race organizer, said that if someone tried to cause trouble for Jan, they would face a very tough opponent. He also said Jan understood the value of money very well.

Jan Janssen also showed respect for other riders. In an interview, he talked about the British rider Tom Simpson. He said Simpson could sometimes be annoying during races, attacking when others wanted to ride calmly. But he also remembered a time when Simpson entered a restaurant dressed like a "Lord," which made everyone laugh and forget any race tensions.

Janssen spent most of his career with a French sponsor. He felt that professional cyclists in his time had to be good all the time to promote their sponsors. He noticed that modern cycling had changed. He felt that some newer riders were less motivated to race often after big events like the Tour de France.

Career Achievements

Major Race Wins

Grand Tour Results Timeline

Grand Tour	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
Vuelta a España	—	—	—	—	—	1	6	—	—	—	—
Giro d'Italia	Did not contest during career
Tour de France	—	DNF	24	9	2	5	1	10	26	—	—

Classic Races Results Timeline

Major Championship Results Timeline

	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
World Championships	31	7	1	43	—	2	DNF	—	16	36	—
National Championships	Did not contest during career

See also

• List of Dutch Olympic cyclists
• List of Dutch cyclists who have led the Tour de France general classification