Gerrie Knetemann
A charismatic Dutch champion whose early Tour de France exploits and world title made him a beloved figure in the peloton.
1951–2004 (age 53)·Dutch cyclist·Birthday: March 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
Gerrie Knetemann, known as 'The Kneet,' was a powerhouse of Dutch cycling in the 1970s and 80s. With a broad smile and a powerful sprint, he brought flair to the sport. His career was defined by a remarkable consistency in the Tour de France, where he claimed the race leader's yellow jersey in the opening stages for four consecutive years. While not a pure climber suited for overall victory, he was a formidable one-day racer and a loyal lieutenant to greats like Joop Zoetemelk. His crowning moment came on the Nürburgring in 1978, where he outsprinted a select group to become the road race world champion. Knetemann's life was cut tragically short during a training ride, but his legacy endures as a tenacious and joyful competitor who helped define an era of European cycling.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Gerrie was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gerrie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Gerrie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Died at 53
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Won the UCI Road World Championships in 1978.
- Wore the Yellow Jersey as leader of the Tour de France in the early stages of four consecutive Tours (1977-1980).
- Won ten individual stages of the Tour de France throughout his career.
Did You Know?
He was known for his distinctive, powerful sprinting style from a high gear.
Knetemann worked as a police officer in Amsterdam early in his cycling career.
After retirement, he served as a directeur sportif for the WordPerfect cycling team.
“You don't win a sprint by thinking about it. You win by doing it.”
