Gerrie Kneteman

Dutch road worker and bicycle racer.

He started his career as a road worker. In his spare time he was an amateur cyclist. Allthough he had little formal education, he became loved for his down to earth Amsterdam street humour and wisdom and his never giving up, optimistic "bikkelen" (chopping) mentality.

Knetemann won 127 races as a professional (1974-1989). He started as a knight in the Mercier team of Joop Zoetemelk. His best year was 1978 in which year he became Word Champion by defeating Francesco Moser and won two Tour de France etappes.

Personal

Kneteman was very superstitious. He used to bear a horseshoe with him and was allergic for the number 13/4 (triskaidekaphobia). When he had the feared starting number 76/13/4 on 27 August 1978, he beated the favourite Francesco Moser in the sprint, using the 13th derailleur cable..

Kneteman was married to the robust Gré Donker (6 Augustus 1951, Krommenie), also a cyclist. They got son and two daughters. His daughter Roxane Knetemann (born April 1, 1987 in Alkmaar) became a professional racing cyclist.

Knetemann died while riding his mountainbike. He collapsed from long embolism after a trip with friends in Bergen on 2 November 2004. Although he was one of the greatest Dutch bicycle racers ever, his death got little attention, because of the coincidence with his by nobody expected death with the even more unexpected death and political murder on Theo van Gogh that same day.