Richard Marinus Anthonius Groenendaal (born 13 July 1971) is a Dutch former professional

cyclo-cross Cyclo-cross (cyclocross, CX, cyclo-X or cross) is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter (the international or "World Cup" season is October–February), and consist of many laps of a short (2.5–3.5&nb ...

cyclist Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

. Groenendaal won the

UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships The UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships are the world championships for cyclo-cross organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Starting in 2022, seven events are organized each year – UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships – Men's elite ...

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

and the overall titles in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup 1997–1998, 2000–2001 and 2003–2004 and in the Cyclo-cross Superprestige in 1997–1998 and 2000–2001.

Early career

Groenendaal's father Reinier was an Elite cyclo-cross cyclist and was Dutch Elite champion in 1985. Groenendaal began to ride as a junior in 1987. He was Dutch Junior champion in 1987–1988 and 1988–89 where he also won the Junior World Cyclo-Cross championships. The following season he joined the Amateur category which he stayed until the 1993–94 season when he turned professional. Early in his career he showed promise as a road rider by finishing in the top ten in the 1992 Tour de l'Avenir, the year he also took part in the Summer Olympics road race. At the start of Groenendaal's career he was often compared to his father Rein and one commentator in Belgium sometimes referred to him as ''Reintje.'' However, after two seasons, Groenendaal had stood on more international podiums than his father and the comparisons stopped. In 1996 Groenendaal joined the newly formed Dutch

cycling team A cycling team is a group of cycle sport, cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle racing, bicycle races whether amateur or professional – and the supporting personnel. Cycling teams are most important i ...

Rabobank Rabobank (; full name: ''Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A.'') is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands. The group comprises 89 local Dutch Rabobanks (2019), a central organisation (Raboban ...

which he would stay with until the end of the 2006–07 season when he choose to ride for an individual sponsor. Groenendaal's greatest achievements include winning the Cyclo-Cross World Cup in 1998, 2001 and 2004 and becoming Cyclo-Cross World Champion in 2000. Groenendaal attacked during the first lap and was chased by defending cyclo-cross world champion Mario De Clercq who was followed by Groenendaal's Rabobank teammate Sven Nys. Nys would not cooperate in the chase of his commercial teammate and as a result De Clercq never caught Groenendaal enabling Groenendaal to become World Champion. In the following season, Groenendaal dominated cyclo-cross with wins in the Superprestige series and the World Cup as well as being number one UCI ranked rider. Groenendaal also won the Dutch National Cyclo-cross championships. Groenendaal started as a big favourite for the World Championships but suffered a crash during the race and did not recover and as a result lost his Rainbow jersey. In the 2001–02 season, Groenendaal lost the national cyclo-cross jersey to teammate Gerben de Knegt but did win the final World Cup of the season in

Heerlen Heerlen (; ) is a city and a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southeast of the Netherlands. It is the third largest settlement proper in the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. Measured as municipality, it is the f ...

which made him a favourite for the World Championships which were taking place a week later. However, Mario De Clercq won ahead of Nys and Vannoppen. Groenendaal finished fourth and as best non-Belgian. Groenendaal won the first race of the Gazet van Antwerpen trophy of the 2002–03 season with the Koppenbergcross ahead of Nys and Wellens. He also won a World Cup. For the 2003–04 season, Groenendaal suffered from a knee injury at the start of the season. At the end of the season, he recovered some form and won the Dutch national champions jersey. In an unexpected finale, Groenendaal took the 2003–04 World Cup classification after the final event of the season. Groenendaal won the final world cup race where there were double points on offer in Pijnacker, while teammate and World Cup leader Sven Nys finished further back and lost the lead in the World Cup classification. Groenendaal kept up his form to win the final Gazet van Antwerpen race. In the 2008 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships Groenendaal helped Dutch National teammate Lars Boom to launch his attack at the start of the final lap and win the gold medal. Groenendaal finished in twelfth place.

Major results

;1988–1989 : 1st UCI World Junior Championships : 1st National Junior Championships ;1990–1991 : 2nd Soestduinen ;1991–1992 : 2nd

Sint-Michielsgestel Sint-Michielsgestel () is a village in the municipality of Sint-Michielsgestel (municipality), Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands. Geography The 120 km long river Dommel flows north from a well near Peer, Belgium, Peer in Belgium. Just nort ...

;1992–1993 : 1st Soestduinen : Superprestige ::2nd Valkenswaard : 3rd Rambrouch ;1993–1994 : 1st National Championships : 1st Telleriarte : 2nd Silver medal uci

UCI World Championships : 2nd Steinmaur : Superprestige ::3rd

Overijse Overijse () is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is a suburb of the wider Brussels metropolitan area. The municipality comprises the town of Overijse proper, and the communities of Eizer, Mal ...

::3rd Westouter-Zillebeke ::3rd Harnes : UCI World Cup ::3rd Eindhoven ;1994–1995 : 2nd Overall Superprestige ::1st Wetzikon ::1st Harnes ::2nd Diegem ::3rd

: 1st

: 1st Vossem : 1st Azpeitia : 1st Telleriarte : 1st Soestduinen : 1st Zeddam : 2nd Silver medal uci

UCI World Championships : 2nd National Championships : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::2nd Niel ::2nd Oostmalle : UCI World Cup ::2nd Loenhout : 2nd

Koksijde Koksijde (; ; ) is a town and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in Belgium. It is located on the North Sea coast in the southwest of the Flanders, Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises apart from Koksijde, the v ...

: 3rd Surhuisterveen : 3rd Steinmaur ;1995–1996 : 1st National Championships : 1st

Tábor Tábor (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 34,000 inhabitants, making it the second most populated town in the region. The town was founded by the Hussites in 1420. The historic town centre is well pres ...

: 1st Zeddam : 2nd Overall Superprestige ::1st Harnes ::3rd Asper-Gavere ::3rd

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

::3rd

::3rd Wetzikon : 2nd Overall UCI World Cup ::2nd Wangen ::2nd Heerlen ::2nd Loenhout ::5th Igorre ::5th Variano di Basiliano : 2nd Surhuisterveen : 2nd Praha : 3rd Berlin : 3rd Soestduinen ;1996–1997 : 2nd Overall UCI World Cup ::1st Eschenbach ::1st Prata di Pordenone ::1st Nommay ::3rd

::4th Heerlen : 1st Steinmaur : 1st Zürich : 1st Soestduinen : 1st Vossem : 2nd National Championships : 3rd Overall Superprestige ::1st Asper-Gavere ::2nd

::2nd

::2nd Harnes ::3rd

: Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::2nd

Kalmthout Kalmthout () is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Belgium, Belgian province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. The municipality comprises the villages of Kalmthout, Achterbroek, Heide, Kalmthout, Heide, and Nieuwmoer. In 2021, Kalmthou ...

: 2nd Woerden : 2nd Loenhout : 2nd Surhuisterveen : 3rd Fronsac ;1997–1998 : 1st National Championships : 1st Overall UCI World Cup ::1st Eschenbach ::1st

::1st Heerlen ::2nd Solbiate Olona ::2nd Pontchâteau ::3rd Praha : 1st Overall Superprestige ::1st Asper-Gavere ::1st

::1st Gieten ::1st

::1st Harnes ::2nd Silvelle ::2nd

::2nd Diegem ::2nd Wetzikon : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::1st

Essen Essen () is the central and, after Dortmund, second-largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany. Its population of makes it the fourth-largest city of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund, as well as ...

::1st

::2nd Hoogstraten : 1st Hägendorf : 1st Steinmaur : 1st Zürich : 1st Dijon : 1st Brouilly : 1st Vossem : 2nd

: 2nd Zeddam : 3rd Fronsac ;1998–1999 : UCI World Cup ::1st Eschenbach : 1st Praha : 1st Zürich : Superprestige ::2nd Ruddervoorde ::2nd Gieten : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::2nd

::3rd

: 2nd Montévrain : 2nd Steinsel : 3rd Pijnacker ;1999–2000 : 1st UCI World Championships : 1st National Championships : 2nd Overall Superprestige ::1st Asper-Gavere ::1st

::1st Diegem ::1st Harnes ::1st Heerlen ::2nd Ruddervoorde ::2nd Wetzikon ::3rd Gieten ::3rd Hoogstraten : 2nd Overall UCI World Cup ::2nd Safenwil ::2nd Leudelange ::2nd Nommay ::3rd

::3rd Zeddam : 1st Hoogerheide : 1st Loenhout : 1st Pijnacker : 1st Zürich : 2nd

Baal Baal (), or Baʻal, was a title and honorific meaning 'owner' or 'lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The ...

: 2nd Steinsel : 3rd Harderwijk : 3rd Vossem ;2000–2001 : 1st National Championships : 1st Overall UCI World Cup ::1st Bergamo ::1st Leudelange ::1st Pontchâteau ::2nd

::3rd Zeddam ::5th

Heusden-Zolder Heusden-Zolder (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian Limburg (Belgium), province of Limburg near Hasselt. On 1 January 2006 Heusden-Zolder had a total population of 30,769. The total area is 53.23 ...

: 1st Overall Superprestige ::1st Ruddervoorde ::1st

::1st Gieten ::2nd Asper-Gavere ::2nd Hoogstraten ::2nd Harnes : 1st Hoogerheide : 1st

Zonnebeke Zonnebeke (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of , , Passendale, Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke), Zandvoorde and Zonnebek ...

: 1st Heerlen : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::2nd Niel ::2nd

::2nd

: 2nd

Vorselaar Vorselaar () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the town of Vorselaar proper. In 2021, Vorselaar had a total population of 7,995. The total area is 27.62 km2. Famous inhabitants * ...

: 2nd Steinmaur : 2nd Contern : 2nd Berlin : 2nd Vossem : 2nd Wetzikon : 3rd Koppenberg : 3rd Ronse ;2001–2002 : UCI World Cup ::1st Heerlen ::1st

::3rd Nommay ::4th Monopoli ::4th Wetzikon ::5th Igorre : 1st

: 1st Pijnacker : 2nd Overall Superprestige ::1st Harnes ::3rd Asper-Gavere : 2nd National Championships : 2nd Koppenberg : 2nd Surhuisterveen : 2nd Huijbergen : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::3rd

: 3rd Vossem : 4th UCI World Championships ;2002–2003 : 1st National Championships : UCI World Cup ::1st

::2nd Liévin ::4th Frankfurt : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::1st Koppenberg ::2nd Loenhout : 1st Hofstade : 1st Pijnacker : 1st Zeddam : 1st Woerden : 1st Huijbergen : 1st Steinmaur : Superprestige ::2nd Ruddervoorde ::2nd

: 2nd Heerlen ;2003–2004 : 1st National Championships : 1st Overall UCI World Cup ::1st Pijnacker ::2nd

::2nd Nommay ::4th Turin : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::1st Oostmalle : 2nd Zeddam : 3rd Surhuisterveen : 3rd Huijbergen ;2004–2005 : 1st National Championships : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::1st Niel ::2nd Koppenberg ::2nd

Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...

::3rd

: 1st Surhuisterveen : 1st Heerlen : UCI World Cup ::2nd Pijnacker ::2nd Lanarvily ::4th Wetzikon ::5th Hofstade : 2nd Overall Superprestige ::2nd Ruddervoorde ::3rd Gieten ::3rd

: 2nd

Sint-Niklaas Sint-Niklaas (; , ) is a Belgium, Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality located in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sin ...

: 3rd

Eeklo Eeklo () is a Belgium, Belgian Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises only the city of Eeklo proper. The name ''Eeklo'' comes from the cont ...

;2005–2006 : Superprestige ::1st Gieten : 1st Surhuisterveen : 1st Woerden : UCI World Cup ::2nd Pijnacker ::2nd Wetzikon ::3rd Hooglede-Gits : Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::2nd

: 2nd National Championships : 2nd

Hasselt Hasselt (, , ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg in the Flemish Region of Belgium. As of 1 August 2023, Hasselt had a total population of 80,846. The old ...

: 2nd

Neerpelt Neerpelt (, ) is a town in Pelt (municipality), Pelt and a former Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg. In 2018, the municipality had a total population of 17,174. The total ...

: 2nd Heerlen : 2nd Wachtebeke : 2nd Lebbeke : 3rd

: 3rd Harderwijk ;2006–2007 : 1st Surhuisterveen : 2nd National Championships : Superprestige ::2nd Hoogstraten ::3rd

: 3rd Overall Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee ::2nd Koppenberg ::2nd Niel ::2nd

: 2nd Wachtebeke : 2nd Heerlen : 3rd

: 3rd Hamburg I : 3rd Hamburg II : UCI World Cup ::4th Pijnacker ::4th Nommay ;2007–2008 : 2nd Surhuisterveen : 2nd Antwerpen : 3rd National Championships : 3rd Woerden : UCI World Cup ::5th Igorre ::5th Hoogerheide ;2008–2009 : 3rd National Championships : 3rd

: UCI World Cup ::4th Nommay

References

External links

Official Website

Website of Sluitingsprijs Oostmalle

Complete palmares
{{DEFAULTSORT:Groenendaal, Richard 1971 births Living people Dutch male cyclists Dutch mountain bikers Dutch cyclo-cross cyclists Cross-country mountain bikers Cyclists at the 1992 Summer Olympics Olympic cyclists for the Netherlands Cyclists from 's-Hertogenbosch UCI Cyclo-cross World Champions (men) 20th-century Dutch sportsmen

Early career

Major results

See also

References

External links