The cycling world is in mourning over the passing of Walter Godefroot. The Ghent native died at the age of 82 after a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s disease. Godefroot was one of the best riders of his generation in the 1960s and 1970s and later became a highly successful team manager at Telekom.
Godefroot made his professional cycling debut in 1965. Another Belgian rider also had his breakthrough that year: none other than Eddy Merckx. That same year, the contemporaries faced off for a major victory for the first time: at the Belgian National Championship in Vilvoorde, Godefroot claimed the tricolour jersey ahead of Merckx.
King of the Classics
It was the first but certainly not the last duel between these two champions. While Merckx quickly developed into an all-devouring cannibal, Godefroot also built an impressive palmarès. He won four monuments, including the Tour of Flanders (1968 and 1978), Paris-Roubaix (1969), and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (1967).
More classic wins followed, as Godefroot’s name also appears on the roll of honour of highly prestigious races of that era such as Bordeaux–Paris (1969 and 1976) and the Championship of Zürich (1970 and 1974). He was also the best in Gent-Wevelgem and the Scheldeprijs. Additionally, he achieved great success in the Tour de France with no fewer than ten stage victories and the green jersey in the 1970 edition.
Godefroot and Merckx at an older age – photo: Cor Vos
From top rider to celebrated team manager
Godefroot – who notched 61 professional wins in his very successful career – stayed active in the cycling world after retirement, but as a team manager. He honed his skills at Capri Sonne before moving to Team Telekom. Under his leadership, the German outfit – with Jan Ullrich, Erik Zabel, and Bjarne Riis as key figures – became one of the most successful teams in the peloton.
However, in his later years, the team also faced several doping cases and negative publicity, but Godefroot never commented on these issues. After the 2005 season, he retired but returned in 2006 as an advisor for Astana. Following a tumultuous farewell at this also much-discussed team, Godefroot withdrew from the spotlight. In recent years, he struggled with Parkinson’s disease and disappeared completely from public view.
Teams:
1965–1966: Wiel's
1967–1969: Flandria
1970-1970: Salvarini
1971–1972: Peugeot
1973–1975: Flandria
1976–1979: IJsboerke
Major victories as a rider:
- 2x Tour of Flanders (1968 and 1978)
- 1x Paris-Roubaix (1969)
- 1x Liège-Bastogne-Liège (1967)
- 2x Championship of Zürich (1970, 1974)
- 2x Bordeaux-Paris (1969 and 1976)
- 1x Gent-Wevelgem (1968)
- 1x Scheldeprijs (1969)
Godefroot defeats Merckx in Rund um den Henninger Turm 1974 – photo: Cor Vos
- 10 stage wins in the Tour de France
- Green points jersey Tour de France 1970
- 2 stage wins in the Vuelta
- 1 stage win in the Giro
- 2x Belgian national champion (1965 and 1972)
