Lee wrote:
> Sorry: should have written "Van der Velde" (not "Van de Velde")
>
> In an unbelievable snowstorm, Van de Velde reached the summit 1'10"
> ahead of Hampsten. Breukink followed closely and was third over.
> Hampsten and Breukink passed Van de Velde (who later said that he
> covered most of the first eight miles down on foot) on the muddy descent
> and rode, more or less, together into Bormio. In Bormio, Breukink
> sprinted away from Hampsten to win the stage by 7 seconds.
>
> Source: "Tour 88" by Pierre Martin
It might actually be van der Velde with a small 'v'. In the low countries and in Germany with 'von', the fact of whether it is a lower or upper case 'v' is quite important. The lower case 'v' generally indicates noble extraction. People who have a small case 'v' will often be very offended if you write their name with an upper case letter, whereas people with an upper case V will rarely or ever be offended.
Steven 'Netherlander to the core' Maasland Moorestown, NJ
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