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FREDDY MAERTENS AS A PAINTING

A bust and bicycle route already has the two-time world champion (Ostuni 1976 and Prague 1981) in his hometown of Lombardsijde (municipality of Middelkerke). But on the occasion of his seventieth birthday on Feb. 13, his hometown of Roeselare surprised him with a mural.

The portrait by Julie ‘Jools’ Vercruysse, was painted on the garden wall of KOERS, Museum of Cycling. The mural is based on a photo from the period when Freddy rode for the Boule d’Or cycling team and, after a resurgence, he became world champion for the second time. The mural is the start of a “Wall of Heads” with images of all Belgian world champions. Geraardsbergen has its Muur, Melden its Koppenberg, and in Roeselare work is being done on a Koppenmuur.

This year, Freddy also adorns the water bottle that annually highlights the West Flanders road safety campaign “Bicycle Tourism in Harmony.

 

Photo © KOERS. Museum of Cycling.

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