Freddy Maertens

September 25th (Reuterswire): Freddy Maertens, Age 56, confirmed comeback rumors circulating in the European sports media - at an inpromptu press conference today in Oudenaarde. According to Maertens’ agent, the former star will be fit and ready to make his professional racing comeback in 2009 with the Onion River Sports formation based in Montpelier, Vermont - most likely at the Tour Down Under in Australia.  A spokesperson for the Vermont based team was not available to confirm or deny the announcement by the one of the fastest sprinters in cycling history, who won 8 stages in one Tour de France. However sources close to the former champion believe that the Team has the resources and will do whatever it takes to develop their current squad into a Pro Tour contender.  A preliminary statement from the Maertens camp suggests that the rider will lead the ORS formation in a full schedule of European events, and selected US National Calendar engagements.

According to Freddy,  Onion River seemed like the perfect organization to enable his successful professional comeback on the international cycling scene: “If Lance, Cipo and Basso can do it… than why not me! This time I will be given the chance to display my climbing skills while providing leadouts to those “big gun” sprinters at the ORS.  ” I can’t wait for the first mid-December training camp in the hills of Vermont…they tell me it is very beautiful there and a paradise for year round cycling. Won’t need tights just good Belge massage oil and whiskey in the bottle.”

Details surrounding the surprise announcement are expected to emerge soon; but is assumed that the Maertens signing will qualify  the Vermont team for Wild Card status in the Tour de France. First reactions from the cycling community were positive: According to Astana Director Johan Bruyneel ” Anything is possible - Vee have plenty of technologie and the science – all we will need to make 36 year old retired athlete into Tour de France Champion again, so why not try the programme on a 50 year old….this will just require a more heavy application of the scientific therapy and yes maybe some of the training…. not possible to make Champion without many miles on the bike.  Cut down on the pommes frites, mayonnaise and those Leffes and Duvels – we have proven that those foods and beverages may interfere with anabolic processes and recovery of human body.  Horsemeat much better. “

Palmaires Freddy Marteans

1971

Belgium National Amateur Road Race Championship  , World Amateur Road Race Championship

1973  1st, Overall, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque Winner Stage 5bm1st, Scheldeprijs , World Road Race Championship

2nd, Ronde van Vlaanderen

5th, Paris-Roubaix

1974

1st, Overall, Tour de Luxembourg

Winner Stages 1 & 2

1st, Overall, Vuelta a Andalucía

Winner Prologue a-b, stages 1, 2, 4, 5 & 6

1st, Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen

1st, Stages 2, 3 & 4, Ronde van België

1st, Stage 3b, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque

4th, Amstel Gold Race

5th, Paris-Tours

1975

1st, Paris-Tours

1st, Paris-Brussels

1st, Gent-Wevelgem

1st, Overall, Ronde van België

Winner Stages 1b & 2

1st, Overall, Vuelta a Andalucía

Winner Prologue, stages 5, 6 & 7b

1st, Overall, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque

Winner Stage 3b

1st, Prologue, stages 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4 & 7b, Dauphiné Libéré

2nd, Amstel Gold Race

3rd, National Madison Championship (with Walter Godefroot)

4th, Flèche Wallonne

5th, Giro di Lombardia

5th, Overall, Paris-Nice

Winner Stage 2

1976

World Road Race Championship

National Road Race Championship, Dilsen

1st, Amstel Gold Race

1st, Rund um den Henninger-Turm

1st, Züri-Metzgete

1st, Gent-Wevelgem

1st, Grand Prix des Nations

1st, Overall, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque

Winner Stage 2b

1st, Brabantse Pijl

1st, Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen

1st, Trofeo Baracchi (with Michel Pollentier)

1st, Critérium des As

1st, Six Days of Dortmund (with Patrick Sercu)

2nd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège

3rd, Flèche Wallonne

3rd, National Madison Championship (with Marc Demeyer)

4th, Overall, Paris-Nice

Winner Prologue, stages 2, 3, 4, 6a & 6b

5th, Ronde van Vlaanderen

7th, Overall, Tour de Suisse

Winner Prologue, stage 1 & Points Classification

8th, Overall, Tour de France:

Winner Prologue, stages 1, 3, 7, 18a, 18b, 21 & 22a

Winner Points Classification

Winner Super Prestige Pernod

1977

Belgium National Derny Championship

1st, Omloop Het Volk

1st, Overall, Vuelta a España:

Winner overall classification

Winner Prologue, stages 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11a, 11b, 13, 16 & 19

Winner Points Classification

1st, Overall, Paris-Nice

Winner Stages 1a, 1b, 2 & 7b

1st, Overall, Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme

Winner Stages 1, 4, 5a & 5b

1st, Trofeo Laigueglia

1st, Overall, Giro di Sardegna

Winner Stage 1

1st, Overall, Volta Ciclista a Catalunya

Winner Prologue, stages 1, 3, 4 & 7a

1st, Stage 1, Tour de Suisse

1st, Six Days of Antwerp (with Patrick Sercu)

2nd, National Omnium Championship

3rd, Paris-Roubaix

, European Omnium Championship

5th, Milano-San Remo

5th, Liège-Bastogne-Liège

5th, Amstel Gold Race

Giro d’Italia:

Winner Prologue, stages 1, 4, 6a, 6b, 7 & 8a

Winner Super Prestige Pernod

1978

1st, Omloop Het Volk

1st, Overall, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque

Winner Stages 2a & 2b

1st, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen

1st, Tour du Haut Var

1st, Stage 7a, Dauphiné Libéré

1st, Six Days of Antwerp (with Danny Clark)

, European Omnium Championship

4th, Paris-Roubaix

4th, Amstel Gold Race

13th, Overall, Tour de France:

Winner Stages 5 & 7

Winner Points Classification

14th, Overall, Tour de Suisse

Winner Stage 5

1981

World Road Race Championship

66th, Overall, Tour de France:

Winner Stages 1a, 3, 12a, 13, & 22

Winner points classification

Winner Intermediate Sprints Classification