Piet Rooijakkers
A Dutch road cyclist whose powerful sprint and domestique's heart fueled his team's ambitions across the punishing climbs of European racing.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Dutch road cyclist·Birthday: August 16·Generation X
Biography
Piet Rooijakkers was a workhorse of the peloton, a robust Dutch rider whose strength was best deployed in service of his team leaders. Turning professional in the mid-2000s, he spent the core of his career with the Skil-Shimano squad (later Project 1t4i), a team known for developing talent and punching above its weight. Rooijakkers thrived in the chaotic, wind-swept races of the Low Countries and northern France, using his solid frame to position his sprinters or chase down breaks. While he rarely contended for individual glory, his presence was a constant in races like the Tour of Belgium and the Circuit Franco-Belge. His career, though not adorned with personal victories, was a model of professional dedication, ending after the 2010 season when he faced the common cyclist's crossroads of a contract not renewed.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Piet was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Piet Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Piet's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
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
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Raced professionally for five seasons with the Skil-Shimano team from 2006 to 2010.
- Competed in multiple UCI ProTour events, including the Amstel Gold Race and the Clásica de San Sebastián.
- Helped his Skil-Shimano team secure wildcard entries to major races through consistent team performances.
Did You Know?
He was known for being a strong and reliable domestique, particularly in flat and windy conditions.
His retirement after the 2010 season was due to his team not offering a contract extension.
He hailed from the cycling-rich province of Brabant in the Netherlands.
“My job was to put the leaders in the wind and keep them there.”
