Panasonic - Miniature racing cyclists

Eddy Planckaert and Olaf Ludwig

Panasonic is a former Dutch cycling team in the peloton from 1984 to 1992. It was sponsored by the Japanese electronics company Panasonic. Panasonic, succeeded TI-Raleigh as sponsor. The team manager was Peter Post. The majority of the Raleigh riders were loyal to Peter Post and opted for Panasonic.
Some other riders followed Jan Raas to the newly formed team Kwantum Hallen-Decoso-Yoko, which later became the Rabobank Cycling Team.

Co-sponsors of the Panasonic team were Isostar from 1987 to 1989 and Sportlife from 1990 to 1992. Raleigh remained a bicycle supplier and co-sponsor for two years.
Overview of the co-sponsors:
1984-1986: Panasonic
1987-1989: Panasonic-Isostar
1990-1992: Panasonic-Sportlife

Panasonic-Sportlife 1990-1992 was a Dutch team, but many of the riders came from other countries. The riders in the period 1990-1992 were: Allan Peiper, Anjo van Loon, Arno Ottevanger, Corne van Rijen, Dimitri Jdanov, Eddy Bouwmans, Eddy Planckaert, Eric Knuvers, Eric Vanderaerden, Erik Breukink, Gert-Jan Theunisse, Hans-Rudi Maerki, Harrie Rozendal, Jacques Hanegraaf, Jean-Marie Wampers, Jean-Paul van Poppel, Jef Lieckens, Jens Heppner, Jo Planckaert, John Talen, Jos van der Pas, Marc Sergeant, Marc van Orsouw, Marco Zen, Maurizio Fondriest, Menno Vink, Michel Cornelisse, Michel LeGrand, Michel LeGrand, Olaf Ludwig, Patrick Strouken, Patrick Strouken, Peter Harings, Peter Winnen, Robert van der Vin, Rudy Dhaenens, Steven Rooks, Teun van Vliet, Theo de Rooij, Thomas Durst, Urs Freuler, Wilfried Nelissen and Wjatscheslaw Wladimirowitsch Jekimitsch.

In 1992, Panasonic withdrew as sponsor of the team, what meant the end of the team.

Most important victories in the period 1990-1992: Amstel Gold Race - Olaf Ludwig (1992) Dwars door Vlaanderen - Olaf Ludwig (1992) E3 Prijs Vlaanderen - Olaf Ludwig (1991) Youth Ranking Tour of France - Eddy Bouwmans (1992) Zurich Championship - Vjatsjeslav Jekimov (1992) Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne - Olaf Ludwig (1992) Liège-Bastogne-Liege - Eric Van Lancker (1990) Paris-Roubaix - Eddy Planckaert (1990) Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen - John Talen (1990) Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen - Wilfried Nelissen (1992) World Cup - Maurizio Fondriest (1991) World Cup - Olaf Ludwig (1992)

Eddy Planckaert
Eddy Planckaert comes from a cycling family. His brothers Willy and Walter were cyclists, as well as his cousin Jo and his son Francesco. He was a pro rider himself from 1980 to 1991, and was a gifted sprinter. He won many classics. In his career he triumphed in the Brabant Arrow (1983), the Tour of Belgium (1984), the Omloop Het Volk (1984 and 1985), the Ronde van Vlaanderen (1988) and Paris-Roubaix (1990). He also won several stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta and the Tour of Switzerland. In 1988 he won the green jersey in the Tour de France.

Olaf Ludwig
Olaf Ludwig is a former German cyclist. In the eighties and nineties he was one of the most successful Germans in this sport. He won Gold at the Olympic Games in the road race in Seoul (1988). As a pro he won a total of three stages in the Tour de France and in 1990 the sprint classification for the green jersey. In 1992 he won the World Cup, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and the Amstel Gold Race. In 1994 he triumphed in the Rund um den Henninger-Turm. After his career he stayed in cycling as a team leader of T-Mobile (2000-2004) and team manager at T-Mobile (2005-2006).

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