Jan Krekels Cyclist
Jan Jozef Alfons Franciscus Krekels is a retired cyclist from the Netherlands. He became Olympic champion in the 100 km team time trial in 1968 with Joop Zoetemelk, René Pijnen and Fedor den Hertog. He also won the 19th stage of the Tour de France in 1971 and the prologue of Paris–Nice in 1970. He retired from professional cycling in 1978. Jan Krekels won three big races in the spring of 1968 hoping for selection for that year's Olympic Games in Mexico. The Dutch cycling association, the KNWU asked for more and Krekels won the Tour of Austria, a hilly race, despite his hefty build. The KNWU picked him for Mexico to ride the 100 km team time trial. Of the four in the team, Pijnen and Zoetemelk went on to become good professionals, Pijnen on the track and Zoetemelk on the road. Krekels turned down a contract with the French team, Bic, alongside Lucien Aimar and Jacques Anquetil because he didn't speak French. He rode instead for a small Dutch team and his career fizzled out.
