Daily Cycling Facts 03.05.12

Robert Slippens
(image credit: Nicola CC BY-SA 3.0)

Robert Slippens, born in Opmeer on this day in 1975, is a professional cyclist who represented the Netherlands at the Olympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004. In the first two events, he took part in the 4km Team Pursuit and in the last one he competed in the Madison.

Saúl Morales, born in Madrid on this day in 1973, turned professional with Fuenlabrada in 1999 and won the Vuelta a Venezuela that same year. In 2000, during an eventful Tour of Argentina during which riders faced bad conditions, poor medical treatment and race officials who openly favoured Argentinian teams, he was hit and killed by a truck that had been permitted to get onto the race route. For many European teams, this was the final straw and they abandoned the race in protest - it hasn't been held since.

Other births: Christophe Detilloux (Belgium, 1974); Alan Goodrope (Australia, 1951); Hans Känel (Switzerland, 1953); Jorge Gómez (Cuba, 1956).