Johan Museeuw (born October 13, 1965) was a Belgian cyclist.
Started his professional career in 1988 with ADR. In 1989 he was part of the ADR team in which Greg LeMond won his second Tour de France. In 1990 Museeuw went to the Lotto team for which he won two stages in the Tour de France that year. Later on he rode for the MG-GB, Mapei, Domo and Quick Step. He ended his career in the spring of 2004 and currently works as a public relations officer for the Quick Step team.
Johan Museeuw is the winner of 11 World Cup stages:
He won the World Cup in 1995 & 1996
Belgian Champion in 1992 & 1996
Museeuw won the World Cycling Championship in the road race in Lugano 1996. In that year, he also won the World Cup , the only rider in history to accomplish this feat.
Museeuw also won the following classics and semi-classics:
Brabantse Pijl 1996, 1998, 2000
Omloop Het Volk 2000, 2003
E3 Prijs Harelbeke 1992, 1998
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 1994, 1997
One week after winning the 1998 Ronde van Vlaanderen, Museeuw made a terrible fall in Paris-Roubaix in which his knee was shattered. He fought back and resumed cycling after a long healing process. A couple of years later, he was again terribly injured by a motor accident. His dogged determination and powerful riding style won him legions of fans all over the world, but he is especially popular in his native Flanders, and was nicknamed Lion of Flanders. Upon crossing the finish line in victory in the 2000 Paris-Roubaix, he lifted his left foot and pointed as his knee as a reminder of the injury that almost ended his career two years earlier.
Museeuw started his career as a sprinter, winning the final stage of the 1990 Tour de France. He subsequently traded his powerful sprint for more endurance and stamina that allowed him to win the spring classics such as Paris-Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen. While his attempt to set a new record by winning either race for the fourth time failed, he hold the record for the number of combined podium places in those races. He is often compared to other Flemish spring classics specialists such as Roger de Vlaeminck.
Towards the end of his career, he acted as a mentor to Tom Boonen, a young rising Flemish cyclist which many cycling fans hope to become the next Johan Museeuw. Boonen's win in the final stage of the 2004 Tour de France -- just as Museeuw himself won in 1990 -- certainly raised the hopes of many.
In 2003 a doping allegation surfaced in which Museeuw was implicated. Reports insinuated his using human growth hormones which he obtained from a Belgian vet Jose Landuyt. The police authorities claimed that Museeuw purchased banned substances and recorded phone conversations that spoke of wasps and other codewords allegedly for drugs. Despite the absence of direct evidence, it was ruled in 2004 that there was sufficient argument for his suspension. This was decided only after his retirement in 2003.
Palmares
1988
GP Briek Schotte, Desselgem
1989
GP Deutsche Weinstrasse
Criterium Oostende
Criterium Deerlijk
5de etappe Ronde van België
1990
3de etappe Driedaagse van De Panne
1ste etappe Vierdagse van Duinkerken
1ste etappe Tour de l'Oise
3de etappe Ronde van Ierland, Nissan Classic
4de etappe Ronde van Frankrijk
21ste etappe Ronde van Frankrijk
Dwars door de Morbihan
Criterium Aalst
Criterium Dilsen
Criterium Valkenswaard
Criterium Lichtervelde
1991
2de etappe Ruta Del Sol
5de etappe Ruta Del Sol
5de etappe Vierdaagse van Duinkerken
3de etappe Midi Libre
2de etappe Tour of Britain
3de etappe Ronde Van Ierland, Nissan Classic
Kampioenschap van Zürich
Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Criterium De Haan
Criterium Deerlijk
Criterium Bavikhove
1992
5de etappe Ruta del Sol
1ste etappe Ronde van Valencia
2de etappe Ronde van Valencia
E3-Prijs Harelbeke
Criterium Bellegem
1ste etappe Bicicleta Vasca
2de etappe Ronde van de Mijnvalleien
Criterium Peer
BK op de weg
1993 GP Wielerrevue
4de etappe Paris-Nice
Dwars door België
4de etappe Hofbrau Cup
Ronde van Vlaanderen
1ste etappe Ronde van Zwitserland
Paris-Tours
Criterium Hengeloo
Criterium Bavikhove
1994 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Amstel Gold Race
Criterium Made
Teleport Derny Amsterdam
Wielsbeke
8ste etappe Ronde van Zwitserland
Geraardsbergen
Druivenkoers Overijse
1995 Trofeo Laigueglia
Omloop de Vlaamse Ardennen, Ichtegem
Ronde van Vlaanderen
6de etappe Vierdaagse van Duinkerken
Kampioenschap van Zürich
Druivenkoers Overijse
GP Eddy Merckx
Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Criterium Bavikhove
Criterium Graz
Eindwinnaar Vierdaagse van Duinkerken
Wereldbeker
1996 Brabantse Pijl
Paris-Roubaix
Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde
1ste etappe Ronde van Puglië
BK op de weg
WK op de weg, Lugano
Wereldbeker
1997 Tijdrit Driedaagse van De Panne
Eindwinnaar Driedaagse van De Panne
2de etappe Ruta del Sol
4de etappe Ruta del Sol
5de etappe Ruta del Sol
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Criterium Peer
Criterium Kortrijk
GP Breitling (met Camenzind)
Criterium Karlsruhe
Gala Tour de France
1998 E3-prijs Harelbeke
Brabantse Pijl
Ronde van Vlaanderen
1999 Dwars door België
Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde
Criterium Bavikhove
GP Briek Schotte, Desselgem
2000 Paris-Roubaix
Omloop 'Het Volk'
Brabantse Pijl
2001 Dernycriterium Wilrijk
2002 1ste etappe b Guldensporen Tweedaagse
Paris-Roubaix
Profronde van Made
3de etappe Ronde van het Waals Gewest
HEW Cyclassics Hamburg
Profronde Almelo
2003 Omloop Het Volk
3de etappe Ronde van Denemarken