Rik Van Looy vs Benoni Beheyt: “a Belgian Hand on the Hip?”
WCRR 1963 in Ronse (Renaix)
The World Champion in 1960 and 1961 Belgian Rik Van Looy entered the 1963 championships in Ronse (in French Renaix), Belgium with great confidence. Van Looy offered each Belgian team member $1,500 if Van Looy won the race. The Belgian team worked diligently as the final lead group of twenty-eight riders approached the finish.
The finish seemed perfect for the Belgians until an impatient Van Looy jumped past his lead-out man too early. Suddenly on the opposite side of the road teammate Benoni Beheyt made a charge to the line. Instinctively Van Looy tried to “close the door” and moved left across the road forcing Beheyt to put out his hand. Was it a push, was it a pull, or was it just to avoid crashing?
The World Champion in 1960 and 1961 Belgian Rik Van Looy entered the 1963 championships in Ronse (in French Renaix), Belgium with great confidence. Van Looy offered each Belgian team member $1,500 if Van Looy won the race. The Belgian team worked diligently as the final lead group of twenty-eight riders approached the finish.
The finish seemed perfect for the Belgians until an impatient Van Looy jumped past his lead-out man too early. Suddenly on the opposite side of the road teammate Benoni Beheyt made a charge to the line. Instinctively Van Looy tried to “close the door” and moved left across the road forcing Beheyt to put out his hand. Was it a push, was it a pull, or was it just to avoid crashing?
Contrasting expressions of the two Belgians on the podium
From that day forward Van Looy swore revenge. Beheyt was ostracized from Belgian races, sabotaged, and in major races chased by Van Looy’s Red Guard domestiques every time he attempted to break away. His palmares suffered. He had fewer wins with little or no success.
The feud lasted for years. Rik Van Looy, the tyrannical “Emperor of Herentals,” has never totally forgiven Beheyt. However, as time passed a mellower Van Looy admitted the hand was only to avoid a crash. |
