I like Flandria Cafe’s post about Gus Van Cauw
enburghe which pays homage to this forgotten Flahute, who inspired many New Englanders, in his second cycling life. A Flemish professional from the 1930′s, Gus’ career was stopped by WWII. He later made it to “the states”, worked as a grocer for twenty years until starting his own a bike shop in Hampton, New Hampshire:
http://www.flandriacafe.com/2010/10/guscyclings-lost-soul.html
Gus sold our family my first racing bike, a three speed “Chiorda” (made by Bianchi) in 1974. After a few trips to with Gus to citizen races with Gus in his Volkswagen bus, I was on my way towards becoming tifosi if not a gearhead. Gus holds the record for the most Kermis victories in one season in Belgium – 72 ! But I was too young at the time to absorb such information but always knew that someday I would race in his homeland.
