Servais Knaven (Milram) before the start.(Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl)
Servais Knaven (Milram) contemplates having finished Paris-Roubaix for the 16th time(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Servais Knaven (T-Mobile) in the showers.(Image credit: Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews)
Former Paris-Roubaix winner and likeable Dutchman Servais Knaven will ride his last race as a professional on Sunday, marking the end of his 17-year career.
Knaven will sign-off at the Profwielerronde Etten-Leur criterium, with Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Doimo) and his Milram teammates Niki Terpstra, Wim De Vocht and Wim Stroetinga on the 22-rider start list.
Illustrious former teammates such as Johan Bruyneel, Steven De Jongh, Michael Boogerd, Tom Steels and Jeroen Blijlevens will ride a support race to celebrate Knaven’s long career.
Among the successes of Knaven’s long career are the Dutch national championship in 1995, a stage victory at the Tour de France in 2003 and his triumph at Paris-Roubaix in 2001. He finished the toughest cobbled classic an amazing 16 times, equalling the record by Belgium’s Raymond Impanis from the 1920s.
Knaven turned professional in 1994 with TVM. He then joined Quick Step in 2003, before riding for T-Mobile in 2007 and then Milram. His last official race with Milram was in June but will race for one last time to say goodbye after 17 years in the saddle.
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Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
