Rik Van Steenbergen, born in Oud-Turnhout, Belgium on 9 September 1924, is another one in the long list of famous Belgian cyclists.
Van Steenbergen had a 24-year career as a top cyclist, retiring at age 42 in 1966. He equalled the record of three victories in the world professional road race (1949, 1956, 1957) and was also third in 1946. He rode almost continually, taking only a short mid-summer break.
On the track he won 1314 events, and his record of 40 victories in six-day races stood for almost 20 years. His track ability allowed him to win many one-day classics because of his ability as a road sprinter. Although he won the Vuelta a Espana in 1956, his difficulty climbing usually prevented him from being a major player in the big stage races.