Groene leeuw - Miniature racing cyclists

GRL

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Our miniature racing cyclists

Handpainted miniature cyclist with Groene leeuw jersey.

-Completely produced out of metal: bike + cyclist
-Dimensions: height 50mm x width 50mm
-Weight: 23 grams

More details

1 Item

12,31 €

Data sheet

TypeK
PostureStandard
GenderMale
ColourGreen
Period1961-1970
MaterialZamac
Height50mm
Width50mm
Depth16mm
Weight23g
PaintedCyclist

More info

Benoni Beheyt

Groene Leeuw is a Belgian cycling team from the post-war period. From 1945 until the end of the 60's the team was active in the cycling peloton. We write 1945. A new Belgian team is started. Groene Leeuw, sponsored by bicycle manufacturer Groene Leeuw is born. Groene Leeuw made men's bicycles, women's bicycles and racing bicycles. So the step to cycling was not a big one. The founder and owner of the company was Adolphe De Kimpe. Some time later, his son Albert also comes to help in the business. Albert was also known as Berten De Kimpe.

The team had a lot of co-sponsors. The most famous co-sponsor of Groene Leeuw was Wielemans-Ceuppens. This Belgian beer brewer promoted his brand Wiel's through cycling.

An overview of the co-sponsors:
1945-1953 Groene Leeuw
1954-1954 Groene Leeuw-Huret
1955-1957 Groene Leeuw
1958-1958 Groene Leeuw-Leopold
1959-1960 Groene Leeuw-Sinalco-SAS
1961-1961 Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco
1962-1965 Wiel's-Groene Leeuw
1966-1966 Wiel's-Garcia-Groene Leeuw
1967-1967 Tibetan-Groene Leeuw
1968-1969 Pull Over Centrale-Novy

A number of big names cycled for this formation.
Erik De Vlaeminck, Walter Godefroot, Arthur Decabooter, Stan Ockers, Benoni Beheyt, Rik Van Looy en Sylvère Maes droegen het groene shirt. Andere namen waren Alfons Sweeck, André Messelis, Armand Desmet, Daniel Denys, Eddy Pauwels, Fernando Manzaneque, Firmin Van Kerrebroeck, Frans De Mulder, Freddy Decloedt, Gerard Van De Steene, Germain Derycke, Gilbert Desmet, Gustaaf De Smet, Hans Junkermann, Jean-Baptiste Claes, Jozef Timmerman, Karl-Heinz Kunde, Lucien Mathys, Martin Van Den Bossche, Michel Remue, Noël Foré, Walter Boucquet and Willy Van den Eynde. Most of them were Belgians.

The team won lots of major races such as:
-The World Cup Inter Brands in 1964
-Paris-Roubaix: Noël Foré in 1959
-Gent-Wevelgem: Noël Foré in 1958 and Benoni Beheyt in 1963.
-Walloon Arrow: Gilbert Desmet in 1964
-Three days of West Flanders: Daniel Denys in 1959, Noël Foré in 1957 and Gustaaf De Smet in 1963 and 1967.
-Tour of Belgium: Noël Foré in 1958, Armand Desmet in 1959, Alfons Sweeck in 1960 and Benoni Beheyt in 1964.
-Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Gustaaf De Smet in 1966) and Freddy Decloedt in 1969.
-Dwars door Vlaanderen: Arthur Decabooter in 1960, Noël Foré in 1957 and Walter Godefroot in 1966.
-E3 Harelbeke: Armand Desmet in 1958), Arthur Decabooter in 1962 and André Messelis in 1962.
-Tour of Switzerland: Hans Junkermann in 1962
-Tour of Spain: Frans De Mulder in 1960
-Belgian World Championship in cyclo-cross: Eric De Vlaeminck in 1966
-WC on the road in Ronse: Benoni Beheyt in 1963

The World cyclo-cross title by Eric De Vlaeminck was the very first Belgian world title in the field.

The biggest success in an important stage tour was undoubtedly the final victory in 1960 in the Vuelta by Frans De Mulder. The 2nd in the general classification was also a teammate, namely Armand Desmet. Frans De Mulder won 4 stages. Another teammate, Arthur Decabooter won 2 stages and also won the points classification. He was allowed to take the blue jersey home. Decabooter also finished in the top 10. The team had 3 riders in the top 10 of the Vuelta of 1960. The success was complete. Groene Leeuw also won numerous stages in the Tour de France, but could not get a final victory.

In 1969, Groene Leeuw withdrew from cycling as a sponsor.

Discover our other miniature cyclists as well.

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