Brian,
Tiemen Groen started an antiques business after cycling, and that business brought him all over the world. Some 15 years ago he decided to make a home in South Africa. After reading all through the article about Tiemen, I learned that he indeed has taken up cycling again, and is involved in local track riding. He has had some heart surgery, but he looks incredibly slim and fit. much of the article is about his experiences in SA, especially about apartheid. It seems Tiemen Groen just can't stand injustice.
While I was reading, i got involved in the story again, and translated the bit about the Katendrecht criterium. Here goes! (These are his own words.)
'Riding at Katendrecht was something special. We changed clothes in a cafe, where they had that special neon light. (edit: Katendrecht used to be the red light district of Rotterdam) That gave me some inspiration already. The weather was grim and rainy. We left and there were thousands of spectators at the side of the road. I thought the pace was too low, so I went for a turn at the front. I remember it like it was today. I look behind me and se e no-one/ Yeah, Bart Zoet and Peter Heynig were in pursuit, but they gave up quickly. I wanted to show the public something, and shifted up a gear, laid my hands on the hoods, pulled the straps a little tighter en began to ride flat-out. The corners were slippery and I fall, but before Í have sled to a stop I'm on the bike again. I see Ge Peters, teammanager of Caballero, standing in the corners, gesturing to me 'take it easy for godssake'. But I had broken loose and there was no holding me. After barely 30 kilometers I lap the peloton; and they were riding 100%. Then I flat, and I see the brother of Cor Schuuring (edit: another pro-rider in the same race). I thro w my bike at the side, and walk towards him. He doesn't want to give the bike , staggers back, but I grab the bike and get back to the peloton. The bike is too big for me and the saddle is too high. I cramp up. The final starts and the whole field is torn apart. I can still establish myself but am sufferin g terribly. The other day my legs are completely shattered, cause of riding o n a bike that's too high. On this day (and I don't say that easily) I turn al l the other riders into bystanders. 'They were not in the same race.' And I mean riders like Peter Post, Leo Duyndam, Bart Zoet, Cor Schuuring, Harrie Steevens, Eef Dolman and Rik van Looy. After the race Van Looy comes up to me and says: 'What kind of a man are you.'.
Brian, you are privileged to have seen him racing. I have only memories of his name on the radio (while I was too young to be interested in cycling) and these stories that i can read and enjoy. regards,
Freek
2006/9/11, Brian Booth <swiftybjb@yahoo.com>:
>
> Freek,
>
> Thanks for the information about Tiemen. I feel lucky
> to have seen him race in person, he is obviously one
> of the "should have been's" in cycling. I hope he has
> found happiness in South Africa and that he still
> rides the bike for pleasure.
>
> Brian
>
> --- Freek Faro <khun.freek@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Brian,
> >
> > It seems appropriate that some answers should come
> > from Tiemen's home
> > country, the Netherlands. I will be quoting from the
> > excellent yearly
> > periodical Wielerexpress (published and written by
> > Jan Zomer:
> > http://www.wielerexpress.nl/
> > (unfortunately) completely written
> > in Dutch. The 2004 issue (the 25th!) was in part
> > dedicated to Tiemen Groen,
> > and you can still order that issue.
> >
> > 'Tiemen Groen: the disappeared legend in South
> > Africa'
> > For many Tiemen Groen will remain a legend: he came
> > from nothing, won
> > everything, and disappeared. Since 1968 he does not
> > want any contact with
> > the media or the press. After his amateur period,
> > Tiemen Groen becomes
> > professional in 1967, with the Caballero team, for a
> > salary of
> > 17.000Guilders (about
> > 8.000 euros). In that year he wins the national
> > pursuit title and the
> > pursuit world title by beating Hugh Porter. On the
> > road his performances are
> > below expectations, but he does win the Ronde van
> > Katendrecht (criterium in
> > Rotterdam) in a manner that participants and
> > spectators are still talking
> > about it. In the Grand Prix des Nations he starts
> > like a rocket, but becomes
> > ill and finishes 8th.
> > Spring of 1968 he undergoes severe nose-surgery,
> > which handicaps him the
> > rest of the season. He rides some crietriums,
> > doesn't feel capable to defend
> > his national and world titles, takes part in
> > Paris-Tours, which will be his
> > last race. The man destined to attack the world
> > record stops with the sport
> > altogether and is not heard from again.
> > *Sport & Sportwereld* writes: 'At the age of 22 the
> > phenomenon has had
> > enough. A position that thousands at that age can
> > only dream of, he gives up
> > just like that. The Frysian had golden legs,
> > everyone said so. Tiemen Groen
> > is the kind of guy that will say: 'so what'. If he
> > only had had the
> > character to suffer more, to dedicate himself more,
> > he could have excelled
> > in the big TT's and the world hour record.
> > We would have liked to see that, Tiemen. But it's
> > your own choice, if you
> > want to find happiness elsewhere.Four world titles,
> > and you just step away
> > from it all. Not many people can do that'
> >
> > In the interview in 2004, in his own words: 'When I
> > decided to stop racing,
> > that was the best decision I ever made. As an
> > amateur I had a fantastic
> > time, and I would do that again any time. But people
> > mad me into a myth too
> > early. I wasn't ready for that and will never be.
> > The world of professional
> > sport was just not my world.'
> > Tiemen Groen is living in South Africa now.
> >
> > Just another anecdote (I can't stop now!), to
> > illustrate his uniqueness:
> > Rini Wagtmans and Tiemen Groen are both riding the
> > Ronde van Aalsmeer, a
> > criterium. The two of them end up in front in the
> > final stages of the
> > races. Rini was riding well and was convinced he was
> > going to win. He lead
> > out in the sprint from far, Rni was fast and didn't
> > fear Tiemen. At 200
> > meters from the line Tiemen comes riding next to
> > Rini and says: 'We'll make
> > it a close finish, OK?' Rini was at full sprint pace
> > at that time, gave
> > everything (he really wanted to win) but didn't
> > stand a chance. Tiemen won
> > with 'two fingers in his nose'.
> >
> > Freek Faro
> > Rotterdam Netherlands
> >
> >
> >
> > 2006/9/11, Brian Booth <swiftybjb@yahoo.com>:
> > >
> > > Seeing the recent Pic of the Day of Tiemen Groen
> > > reminded me of seeing him when he was World
> > Amateur
> > > Pursuit Champion at a Wheelers Meet at Fallowfield
> > in
> > > Manchester in the mid 60's (he was a 4 time
> > champion,
> > > 3 amateur and 1 pro).
> > >
> > > He was a sight to behold, a big guy who dwarfed
> > > everyone else, with tons of power, probably
> > similar to
> > > Ullrich, as Paul Sherwin likes to put it "a big
> > diesel
> > > engine".
> > >
> > > Groen easily won the pursuit at the Wheelers Meet,
> > but
> > > in the 10 mile race Eric Thompson stuck to his
> > wheel
> > > like he was glued to it, no matter where Groen
> > went,
> > > up the banking, down the banking, to the front,
> > mid
> > > pack, whatever, Thompson would not leave his
> > wheel,
> > > thinking no doubt that Groen would break away and
> > give
> > > him a free ride to the finish where he could use
> > his
> > > sprint to get the win.
> > >
> > > Well Groen got tired of everyone waiting for him
> > to
> > > make his move and following him everywhere and
> > just
> > > sat up with about 5 laps to go (with Thompson
> > still on
> > > his wheel), some other riders broke away and by
> > the
> > > time Thompson realized Groen was not going to
> > chase,
> > > it was too late and the race was over.
> > >
> > > Groen was a total class act, perfection on the
> > bike,
> > > and I often wondered over the years whatever
> > happened
> > > to him, 4 years at the top and then he was gone
> > (or so
> > > it seemed). Does anyone know what happened to him?
> > >
> > > Brian Booth
> > > Toronto, Canada
> > >
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