Niels Albert (born 5 February 1986 in Bonheiden, near Antwerp, Belgium) is a former professional cyclo-cross racing cyclist who currently resides in Tremelo. He became World Champion twice, in 2009 and 2012.
 Albert during the 2007 World Championships | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Niels Albert | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 5 February 1986 Bonheiden, Belgium | |||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 66 kg (146 lb; 10.4 st) | |||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Retired | |||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Cyclo-cross and road | |||||||||||||||||
| Role | Rider | |||||||||||||||||
| Professional team | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2014 | Palmans–Sapim–Collstrop | |||||||||||||||||
| Major wins | ||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Career
editSimilarly to Sven Nys, Albert began BMX racing, in which he was two times Belgian National Champion, before switching to cyclo-cross. On 8 October 2006 Albert took his first major senior victory at Grote Prijs Pro Cycling Neerpelt, Belgium. Albert won the first International cyclo-cross of the 2007/08 season with a victory in Erpe-Mere, Belgium.[1] Albert scored another big victory with the Superprestige in Gieten, the Netherlands where riding for the first time in the Elite category of the annual Gieten race, he beat Sven Nys and Lars Boom.[2]
He finished second at the 2008/09 Belgian Cyclo-cross Championships (behind Sven Nys).
In 2009, he became the Cyclo-cross world champion in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands. He took a second World Champion title in 2012, after a solo victory in Koksijde.[3]
His career ended abruptly on 19 May 2014, when Albert, aged 28, announced his retirement as a professional cyclist, due to heart problems.[4]
Major results
editRoad
edit- 2007
- 3rd Overall Boucles de la Mayenne
- 2009
- 1st Stage 1 Mi-Août Bretonne
- 1st Prologue Boucles de la Mayenne
- 4th Overall Tour Alsace
- 1st Stages 2 & 5
- 2010
- 5th Overall Circuito Montañes
- 1st Stage 6
- 2011
- 1st Stage 2 Tour Alsace
- 7th Overall Boucles de la Mayenne
- 2013
- 8th Ronde van Limburg
Cyclo-cross
edit- 2003–2004
- 1st
UCI World Junior Championships
- 1st
UEC European Junior Championships
- 1st
National Junior Championships
- 1st Overall Junior Superprestige
- 1st Ruddervorde
- 1st Gieten
- 1st Diegem
- 1st Hoogstraten
- 1st Harnes
- 1st Vorselaar
- 2nd Gavere
- 2004–2005
- 1st Overall Under-23 Superprestige
- 1st Gavere
- 1st Gieten
- 1st Hoogstraten
- 1st Vorselaar
- 2nd Sint-Michielsgestel
- 3rd Ruddervorde
- 3rd Diegem
- UCI Under-23 World Cup
- 1st Hofstade
- 1st Under-23 Kalmthout
- 1st Under-23 Beuvry
- 1st Under-23 Leudelange
- 2nd
UEC European Under-23 Championships
- 2nd National Under-23 Championships
- 3rd Zonnebeke
- 2005–2006
- 1st
- 1st
- 1st Overall Under-23 Superprestige
- 1st Ruddervorde
- 1st Sint-Michielsgestel
- 1st Gavere
- 1st Gieten
- 1st Diegem
- 1st Hoogstraten
- 1st Vorselaar
- 1st Overall Under-23 Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Koppenberg
- 1st Loenhout
- 1st Lille
- UCI Under-23 World Cup
- 1st Kalmthout
- Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Under-23 Pijnacker
- 2nd Aalter
- 2nd Antwerpen
- 2nd Dottenijs
- 2nd Eeklo
- 3rd
UCI World Under-23 Championships
- 2006–2007
- 1st
- 1st
- 1st
Overall UCI Under-23 World Cup
- 1st Kalmthout
- 1st Hofstade
- 1st Nommay
- 2nd Hoogerheide
- 1st Overall Under-23 Superprestige
- 1st Sint-Michielsgestel
- 1st Gavere
- 1st Gieten
- 1st Hamme
- 1st Diegem
- 1st Hoogstraten
- 1st Vorselaar
- 2nd Ruddervorde
- 2nd Overall Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Antwerpen
- 1st Neerpelt
- 2nd
UCI World Under-23 Championships
- 2nd Eeklo
- 2nd Vossem
- 2nd Mechelen
- 3rd Overijse
- 3rd Aalter
- 2007–2008
- 1st
- 1st
- 1st
- 1st Kalmthout
- 1st Hofstade
- 1st Liévin
- 1st Hoogerheide
- 3rd Overall Superprestige
- 1st Gieten
- 1st Hoogstraten
- 1st Vorselaar
- 2nd Veghel-Eerde
- Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Ardooie
- 1st Erpe-Mere
- 2nd Neerpelt
- 2nd Lebbeke
- 2nd Mechelen
- 3rd National Championships
- 3rd Eeklo
- 2008–2009
- 1st
- UCI World Cup
- Superprestige
- 1st Veghel-Eerde
- 2nd Vorselaar
- 2nd Hoogstraten
- 3rd Ruddervorde
- Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Lille
- 2nd Oostmalle
- 2nd Niel
- 3rd Koppenberg
- 3rd Baal
- 1st Erpe-Mere
- 1st Zonhoven
- 1st Ardooie
- 1st Eeklo
- 1st Mechelen
- 1st Tervuren
- 2nd National Championships
- 3rd Dottenijs
- 2009–2010
- 2nd Overall UCI World Cup
- 1st Treviso
- 1st Plzeň
- 1st Nommay
- 1st Hoogerheide
- 2nd Igorre
- 2nd Heusden-Zolder
- 3rd Kalmthout
- 2nd Overall Superprestige
- 1st Diegem
- 1st Hoogstraten
- 1st Gavere
- 2nd Ruddervorde
- 2nd Vorselaar
- 3rd Gieten
- 3rd Overall Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Ardooie
- 1st Erpe-Mere
- 1st Maldegem
- 1st Neerpelt
- 1st Overijse
- 1st Dottenijs
- 1st Eernegem
- 2nd Mechelen
- 3rd Bredene
- 2010–2011
- 1st
- 1st
- 1st Koksijde
- 1st Igorre
- 1st Hoogerheide
- 2nd Heusden-Zolder
- 2nd Aigle
- 2nd Pontchâteau
- 3rd Plzeň
- Superprestige
- 1st Diegem
- 2nd Hoogstraten
- 3rd Hamme
- 3rd Gavere
- Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Loenhout
- 1st Oostmalle
- 2nd Koppenberg
- 3rd Baal
- Fidea Classics
- 1st Tervuren
- 2nd Niel
- 3rd Asteasu
- 3rd Bredene
- 3rd Cauberg
- 3rd Mechelen
- 2011–2012
- 1st
- Superprestige
- 1st Ruddervorde
- 1st Zonhoven
- 1st Diegem
- Gazet van Antwerpen
- 1st Kalmthout
- 1st Dottenijs
- 1st Mechelen
- UCI World Cup
- 2nd Namur
- Fidea Classics
- 2nd National Championships
- 3rd Cauberg
- 2012–2013
- 1st
- 1st Overall Bpost Bank Trophy
- 2nd Overall Superprestige
- 1st Diegem
- 2nd Hamme
- 2nd Zonhoven
- 2nd Middelkerke
- 2nd Ruddervorde
- Soudal Classics
- 1st Dottenijs
- 1st Heerlen
- 1st Cincinnati
- 2nd National Championships
- 2nd Bredene
- 2nd Kalmthout
- 2nd Overijse
- 2nd Sint-Niklaas
- 2nd Mechelen
- 3rd Ardooie
- 3rd Maldegem
- 2013–2014
- 2nd Overall Superprestige
- 1st Hamme
- 1st Gieten
- 2nd Zonhoven
- 3rd Diegem
- 3rd Hoogstraten
- 2nd Overall Bpost Bank Trophy
- 3rd Overall UCI World Cup
- Soudal Classics
- 1st Sint-Niklaas
- 1st Erpe-Mere
- 2nd Ardooie
- 2nd Dottenijs
- 3rd Maldegem
- 3rd Mechelen
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Albert clinches win in season's first cross". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
- ^ "Albert makes thirteen an unlucky number for Nys". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
- ^ "Albert rijdt solo naar wereldtitel in Koksijde" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 19 November 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Been, José. "Niels Albert ends cyclo-cross career due to heart problems". Cyclingnews. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
External links
edit- Niels Albert at ProCyclingStats