Benoni Beheyt

Belgian cyclist Benoni Beheyt had an impressive start to his career, winning more than 100 races as an amateur from 1958 to 1960. This resulted in Beheyt being selected to compete at the 1960 Roma Olympics, where he finished seventh in the individual road race. After the Games he won dozens of more races as an amateur before turning professional in 1962. As a pro rider he continued to have consistent results, including winning the Halle–Ingooigem one-day race in West Flanders and placing third at the Paris–Tours one-day classic in France.

In 1963 Beheyt had the best result of his career when he won the road race at the UCI World Championships, finishing ahead of compatriot and great rival Rik Van Looy. Prior to the race an agreement was made that if Van Looy had a chance to win the race he should, which would make him a three-time champion. Both riders, however, belonged to different teams, and Beheyt then outsprinted Van Looy to win the race. In retaliation, Van Looy used his influence in the sport to try and hinder Beheyt’s career, with the pair never speaking to each other again.

Despite the feud between the two Belgians, Beheyt had several more important victories during his career, including winning the 1963 edition of the classic one-day race Gent–Wevelgem. He rode in three editions of the Tour de France, winning a stage of the 1964 race. The same year he also won the Tour of Belgium and the Ronde van Oost-Vlaanderen, in addition to finishing second at the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. By the mid-1960s Beheyt’s results had begun to tail off, with him retiring from the sport in 1968.