Making a name for yourself in the pro ranks during the heyday of Merckx, De Vlaeminck, and Maertens would have been tougher than making a name for yourself in the pro ranks during the heyday of Merckx, De Vlaeminck, and Maertens. Especially, I would think, if you also happened to be Belgian. But with somewhere around 145 victories in a career which spanned from 1965 to 1981, Herman Van Springel did just that. Well, as much as anybody was able to racing against the Hardmen of the day.
Van Springel’s palmares includes podium finishes in all three Grand Tours. He lost the ’68 edition of the Tour by 38 seconds in the final stage, an individual time trial, to Jan Janssen. Sound familiar? (Faux sneeze into arm, Fignon). He also won the Tour’s green jersey in 1973. He did so without winning a single stage. Also sound familiar? (Faux sneeze into arm again, Hushovd). Sprinkle in some podium finishes at Paris-Roubaix and the World Championship Road Race and you’ve got the makings of the top of the also-ran list.
Where Van Springel really shined was in the 560km, derny-paced, Bourdeaux-Paris. With seven wins in the former classic, he could have been aptly named “Mr. Bourdeaux-Paris”. No other rider comes close to his record at this race.
The proudest moment of Van Springel’s career probably came in the 1968 edition of the Giro di Lombardia. Coming into the day, Van Springel held the lead in that year’s Super Prestige for best ‘all-rounder’ with 194 points. Everybody who was anybody back then lined up at the start. Imagine looking around the peloton and seeing the likes of Merckx, Gimondi, Godefroot, Van Looy, Poulidor, and Janssen. By race’s end, Van Springel soloed to victory, exacted revenge on Janssen for that year’s Tour and collected the 60 points to secure the Super Prestige Pernod Trophy.
While no doubt celebrated in his day, Herman Van Springel seems to lack frequent mention in the cycling annals of today. So we at Velominati thought we’d give the old chap a bump and a chapeau. For winning the best ‘all-rounder’ in a time when the all-rounders out-classed, out-ranked, and out-numbered the ‘specialists’ of the time deserves praise.
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Great history post! I like to fancy myself a bit of a cycling history guy but you guys here on the "V" site put me to shame. Thanks for the well written post and for sharing your knowledge!
Good stuff, Marko!
Diggin the derny action!
They're all the rage in town lately with the overweight dirtbag hipster crowd... I'm thinking about buying one, grabbing a Vintage Velo jersey in XXXL and paying some layabout to wear it and pace me on the Saturday club ride.
Good article, btw
Herman's name wasn't one that would van Springel to my mind... cheers Marko for bringing this tough nut to my attention.
Is that Cancellara on the front? Something's not right with that bike...
@sgt
I reckon you're onto something there mate.
Haha!
For the Bordeaux-Paris I bet the name of the game was to get behind the fattest Derny rider. Every extra inch of headwind protection counts!
I'd like to see race like the Bordeaux-Paris, today.
@sgt
Notice the dude on the lead Derny, he's wearing Adidas Sambas. A Hipster waayyyyy ahead of his time. Whoever that dude is, he must have been the Derny pacer extraordinaire as he's in so many pics from the day.
@Dave Harding
In most pics I can think of the Derny-men were pretty hefty for sure. I wonder if they're former cyclists who let themselves go, got injured and gained weight, or just realized they were and always would be too fat to climb so they took up Derny pacing. We may never know as I fear they've become extinct along with Bourdeaux-Paris.
@Pedale.Forchetta
It would be sort of interesting wouldn't it? I imagine boring as well to watch which is maybe why it went away. Who the hell wants to watch, sponsor, or broadcast a 560k bike race that ends up more or less an ITT behind a Vespa? Not sure it would sell these days but sure would be interesting.
@Marko
Ahah! You are right, but even stages of the Giro or Tour can be deadly boring,
the first time I saw an entire stage of the Tour I was almost falling asleep.
@Oli Brooke-White
@Brett
Nice to see you two have your priorities right - spending time on the site as opposed to helping your mates sandbag or move to higher ground. Yikes, I hope those blokes are going to be alright down there. Just the thought of all those snakes and crocs swimming through town wigs me out.