Gerard, Jonkheer Bosch van Drakestein

Gerard Bosch van Drakestein was a member of the nobility. His activities as a cyclist were not considered acceptable in his family’s circles, and in the early days of his career he raced under various pseudonyms, usually “Ulysses” or “Bismarck”. He would eventually use his real name, which earned him the nickname of “de jonker”, referring to his title of jonkheer. His career spanned more than two decades, during which he remained an amateur - he saw no need to earn money with his activities. He never won a major title. He thought to have a decent shot at the title in 1914, with his archrival William Bailey having turned pro. However, the tournament was cancelled halfway when World War I broke out. Bosch van Drakestein quit cyling after the Amsterdam Olympics, at age 41. In the 1930ies, Bosch van Drakenstein was instrumental in the removal of a Jewish administrator of the Dutch Cycling Union. Legal charges filed over this after the war were dismissed as the period of prescription had passed.