Rabobank - Miniature racing cyclists

RAB

New product

Our miniature racing cyclists

Handpainted miniature cyclist with Rabobank jersey.

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

More details

3 Items

12,31 €

Data sheet

TypeK
PostureStandard
GenderMale
ColourOrange
Period2001-2010
MaterialZamac
Height50mm
Width50mm
Depth16mm
Weight23g
PaintedCyclist

More info

Michael Boogerd and Oscar Freire

The Rabobank professional cycling team was founded in 1996. This Dutch team was the successor of the Novell team. The team was started as part of the "Rabobank Cycling Plan". In this plan not only the professional team was involved, but also the development of new talents was importan. Rabobank invested 10 million gulden, 70% went to the professional team. It was ex-rider Jan Raes who founded the team and became its sports director. He was looking for another major sponsor when his team got into financial problems in 1995. The team leaders of the new team were Theo de Rooij and his assistants Adri van Houwelingen and also Joop Zoetemelk. Jan Raes took a number of Novell riders with him such as the Belgian Edwig van Hooydonck, Vjatseslav Jekimov and also the young riders Erik Dekker, Léon van Bon and Michael Boogerd. Also from other teams good riders came to Rabobank. Among them are Rolf Sörensen, Erik Breukink, Johan Bruyneel, Koos Moerenhout and Robbie McEwen. Frans Maassen was the trainer of the junior team.

The team consisted mainly of Dutchmen. But also a number of Belgians and Spaniards came to the team: Amund Grøndahl Jansen (2017-heden), Denis Mensjov (2005-2010), Levi Leipheimer (2002-2004), Mark Renshaw (2012-2012), Matti Breschel (2011-2012), Mauricio Ardila (2006-2010), Michael Rasmussen (2003-2007), Paul Martens (2008-2012), Peter Luttenberger (1997-1998), Robbie McEwen (1996-1999), Rolf Sørensen (1996-2000), Vjatsjeslav Jekimov (1996), Bauke Mollema (2008-2012), Bram Tankink (2008-2012), Carlos Barredo (2011-2012), Erik Breukink (1996-1997), Erik Dekker (1996-2006), Johan Bruyneel (1996-1997), Joost Posthuma (2004-2010), Juan Antonio Flecha (2006-2009), Juan Manuel Gárate (2010-2012), Karsten Kroon (1999-2005), Koos Moerenhout (1996-1999, 2007-2010), Lars Boom (2009-2012, Laurens ten Dam (2008-2012), Léon van Bon (1996-2000 en 2007), Luis León Sánchez (2011-2012), Maarten Tjallingii (2009-2012), Maarten Wynants (2011-2012), Marc Wauters (1998-2006), Michael Boogerd (1996-2007), Óscar Freire (2003-2011), Pieter Weening (1999-2011), Robert Gesink (2006-2012), Sebastian Langeveld (2007-2011), Stef Clement (2009-2012), Steven Kruijswijk (2010-2012), Theo Bos (2011-2012), Thomas Dekker (2005-2008), Wilco Kelderman (2012-2012), ...

The successes came almost immediately. Two victories followed in the Amstel Gold Race in 1999 and 2001 (Michael Boogerd and Erik Dekker). For the Dutch sponsor it was very important to make extra publicity in the homeland. The Clásica San Sebastián was also won (Erik Dekker) in 2000. Marc Wauters triumphed in Paris-Tours in 1999. In 1997 Rolf Sørensen won the Tour of Flanders, and Michael Boogerd won the general classification in Paris-Nice in 1999.

The Rabo Wielerplan was extended several times in between. The goals were achieved and the sponsor was satisfied with that. Therefore they decided to continue. The sponsor set higher goals, and in 2001 the goal was to win the Tour de France. The American Levi Leipheimer, specialist for stage tours, was recruited. He was hoping for the yellow jersey. But the positive results from the past could not be achieved. In 2003 the team got into a negative spiral and could hardly win races. Also in the tour of France it didn't go very well. The cooperation with Jan Raes was stopped. In 2004, Theo de Rooij became the new team director and former rider Erik Breukink became team director. As of 2007, the sponsorship contract was extended a couple of times.

In 2007 the Dane Michael Rasmussen finished a fantastic Tour de France. He wore the yellow leader's jersey for nine days. But he was caught on doping and was expelled from the Tour de France. He was also fired by his employer. Theo de Rooij stopped at the end of the Tour. His successor was Henri van der Aat. In 2008 Harold Knebel became general manager of the Rabobank Cycling Teams. Erik Breukink became sport director of the team in 2010. The team management consisted of Nico Verhoeven, Adri van Houwelingen, Erik Dekker, Frans Maassen and Jan Boven.

In the period between 2005 and 2011 the team achieved a lot of nice results in the 3 big tours. In the tour de France Menshov ended in the top 10 a few times, and achieved the podium once. However, he would never win the Tour. The mountain classification was won by a Rabobank rider: Michael Rasmussen in 2005 and 2006. And the points classification was awarded to Óscar Freire in 2008.
In the Giro d'Italia of 2009 Denis Mensjov won the general classification. And finally in the Vuelta he was the best in the general classification in 2007. The points classification went to Bauke Mollema in 2011.

But top performances were also achieved in the classics. Milan-San Remo was won 3 times by Óscar Freire: 2004, 2007 and 2010. The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was won by Sebastian Langeveld in 2011. And in 2004 Óscar Freire became world champion on the road.

Despite the successes, the team regularly got negative publicity. The doping suspicions were never far away.
In 2012, Rabobank decided to stop the sponsorship. Rabobank did not want to be associated with the many doping cases that Rabobank and cycling in general had to deal with.
The team was looking for a new sponsor. The team first continued as White Label team Blanco Pro Cycling Team. In 2013 they found a new sponsor in Belkin, the American manufacturer of computer hardware. A year later, Belkin stepped back from cycling. Again, a new sponsor had to be found. The team was baptized Team LottoNL-Jumbo, and then Team Jumbo-Visma.

Sponsors:
1996-2012: Rabobank
2013-2013: Blank Pro Cycling
2013-2014: Belkin Pro Cycling Team
2015-2018: Team LottoNL-Jumbo
2019-2019: Team Jumbo-Visma

Biggest successes in the 3 big tours:
Mountain classification Tour de France: Michael Rasmussen (2005) and (2006)
Points classification Tour de France: Óscar Freire (2008)
general classification in the Giro d'Italia: Denis Menshov (2009)
general classification in the Vuelta: Denis Menshov (2007)
Points classification in the Vuelta: Bauke Mollema (2011)

In addition, there were victories in:
general classification Round of Andalusia: Erik Dekker (2001), Óscar Freire (2007), Joost Posthuma (2009)
general classification Tour of Belgium: Lars Boom (2009)
general classification Round of Oman: Robert Gesink (2011)
general classification Tour Down Under: Tom-Jelte Slagter (2013)
Amstel Gold Race: Michael Boogerd (1999), Erik Dekker (2001)
Clásica de Almería: Mark Renshaw (2013)
Clásica San Sebastián: Erik Dekker (2000), Luis León Sánchez (2012)
Gent-Wevelgem: Óscar Freire (2008)
Grand Prix Eddy Merckx: Couple time trial Erik Dekker and Marc Wauters (2001), Couple time trial Thomas Dekker and Koen de Kort (2004).
Montréal Grand Prix: Robert Gesink (2010)
Quebec Grand Prix: Robert Gesink (2013)
Milan-San Remo: Óscar Freire (2004), (2007), (2010)
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Sebastian Langeveld (2011)
Paris-Tours: Marc Wauters (1999), Erik Dekker (2004), Óscar Freire (2010)
Round of Emilia: Michael Boogerd (1999), Robert Gesink (2009) and (2010)
Tour of Flanders: Rolf Sørensen (1997)
Vattenfall Cyclassics: Léon van Bon (1997), Óscar Freire (2006)
World Cup: Erik Dekker (2001)
World Championship (on the road): Óscar Freire (2004)
World Championship (time trial for young riders): Lars Boom (2007)
general classification Three days of De Panne-Koksijde: Joost Posthuma (2008)
general classification Eneco Tour: Lars Boom (2012)
Paris-Nice general classification: Michael Boogerd (1999)
general classification Tour of California: Robert Gesink (2012), George Bennett (2017)
general classification Tour of Denmark: Wilco Kelderman (2013)
general classification Tour of Great Britain: Marc Wauters (1999), Lars Boom (2011)
general classification Tour of Luxembourg: Marc Wauters (1999), Joost Posthuma (2008), Paul Martens (2013)
general classification tour of Murcia: Denis Mishov (2009)
general classification tour of Romania: Thomas Dekker (2007)
general classification Star ZLM Tour: Sebastian Langeveld (2007), Lars Boom (2013)
Tirreno-Adriatico general classification: Erik Dekker (2002), Óscar Freire (2005) and Thomas Dekker (2006).
general classification World Ports Classic: Theo Bos (2014)

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