Former Belgian professional cyclist Frans Verbeeck, a national road champion and one of the adversaries of Eddy Merckx, has died at the age of 85, according to reports confirmed by the sportswear firm Vermarc Sport and detailed by the daily newspaper Le Soir.
Confirmation and Legacy of Vermarc Sport
Verbeeck’s death was officially made public by Vermarc Sport, the athletic apparel company he established following his retirement from professional racing. In a statement published after his passing, the company expressed deep sorrow over the loss of its founder. “With great sadness we announce the passing of Frans Verbeeck, former cyclist and founder of Vermarc Sport. We are grateful for everything Frans built and for the lasting impact he had on the company and many other people. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. We wish them much strength in these difficult times,” the company stated.
From Milk Delivery to the Peloton: The Flying Milkman
His path to the professional ranks was unconventional. After turning pro in the early 1960s, he stepped away from the sport in 1966 following an arduous experience at the Volta a Catalunya, where a throat infection and a severely swollen foot forced him to abandon. While organizing his return trip, his bicycle was stolen outside an airport terminal, forcing him to walk with his injury.
To support his wife Angele and his family, Verbeeck took up a job delivering milk in Wilsele. Two years later, his father helped him acquire a new bicycle while his friend Roger Bollen covered the insurance. Verbeeck returned to professional racing in 1968, balancing early-morning milk deliveries with rigorous training sessions and races. This grueling routine earned him the enduring moniker “The Flying Milkman.” Unlike many of his peers who took extended breaks during the off-season, Verbeeck maintained his conditioning through the winter months, completing up to 40 repetitions on a steep, sandy climb at Kesselse Bergen aboard a fixed-gear bicycle.
Classic Victories and the Rivalry with Eddy Merckx
Despite competing in an era dominated by sporting icons like Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck, Verbeeck built a respected palmarès as a premier specialist in spring classics and one-day races. His breakthrough victory arrived at the 1970 Omloop Het Volk, a triumph he secured hours after delivering cream to local bakeries and driving to Ghent in an aging Volkswagen. He claimed the Amstel Gold Race in 1971 and secured a second Omloop Het Volk title in 1972 by outsprinting a leading group that included Merckx.
Throughout his career, Verbeeck captured several other notable titles, including La Flèche Wallonne in 1974, the E3 Prijs Harelbeke in 1975, Scheldeprijs in 1976, and Brabantse Pijl in 1977. He also won the general classification at the Tour de Luxembourg in 1975 and 1976, finished 15th at the 1965 Vuelta a España—where he placed second behind Rik Van Looy in the points classification—and took 16th overall at the 1972 Tour de France.
His defining moments often involved direct clashes with Merckx. In the spring of 1973, Verbeeck finished second behind Merckx at Gent-Wevelgem, the Amstel Gold Race, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the latter decided by a narrow margin after Verbeeck mistook the finish line location. Redemption arrived in June 1973 at the Belgian national road championship in Soumagne. After Merckx launched a solo attack, Verbeeck bridged the gap near the summit of the final climb, refused to pull, and out-sprinted Merckx to claim the tricolor jersey as national champion.
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