Niels Albert

Niels Albert

File:Niels Albert WK 2007 2.jpg Albert during the 2007 UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships
Personal information
Full name	Niels Albert
Born	(1986-02-05) 5 February 1986 Bonheiden, Belgium
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	66 kg (146 lb; 10.4 st)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Cyclo-cross and road
Role	Rider
Professional team(s)
2005–2014	Palmans–Sapim–Collstrop
Major wins
Cyclo-cross World Cup Overall classification (2010–11, 2012–13) 11 individual races Superprestige 14 individual races BPost Bank Trophy Overall classification (2012–13) 15 individual races World Championships (2009, 2012) National Championships (2011)
Medal record Representing Belgium Cyclo-cross World Championships Hoogerheide 2009 Elite Men's Race Koksijde 2012 Elite Men's Race
Infobox last updated on 28 May 2014

Niels Albert (born 5 February 1986 in Bonheiden, near Antwerp, Belgium) is a former professional cyclo-cross racing cyclist who currently resides in Tremelo. He became World Champion twice, in 2009 and 2012.

Career

Similarly to Sven Nys, Albert began BMX racing, in which he was two times Belgian National Champion, before switching to cyclo-cross. On 8 October 2006 Albert took his first major senior victory at Grote Prijs Pro Cycling Neerpelt, Belgium. Albert won the first International cyclo-cross of the 2007/08 season with a victory in Erpe-Mere, Belgium. Albert scored another big victory with the Superprestige in Gieten, the Netherlands where riding for the first time in the Elite category of the annual Gieten race, he beat Sven Nys and Lars Boom.

He finished second at the 2008/09 Belgian Cyclo-cross Championships (behind Sven Nys).

In 2009, he became the Cyclo-cross world champion in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands. He took a second World Champion title in 2012, after a solo victory in Koksijde.

His career ended abruptly on 19 May 2014, when Albert, aged 28, announced his retirement as a professional cyclist, due to heart problems.

Palmares

Cyclo-cross

2001–2002

1st 20px National Under-17 Championships

2003–2004

1st World Junior Championships

1st 20px National Junior Championships

2004–2005

1st, Beuvry, Leudelange

2nd, European Under-23 Championships

2005–2006

1st European Under-23 Championships

1st 20px National Under-23 Championships

1st, Rijkevorsel

3rd, World Under-23 Championships

2006–2007

1st European Under-23 Championships

1st 20px National Under-23 Championships

1st, Antwerpen, Loenhout, Neerpelt & Oostmalle

2nd, World Under-23 Championships

2007–2008

1st World Under-23 Championships

1st European Under-23 Championships

1st, Ardooie, Dudzele, Erpe-Mere, Lille, Gieten, Maldegem, Hoogstraten, Vorselaar & Oostmalle

2008–2009

1st World Championships

1st, Erpe-Mere, Zonhoven, Ardooie, Tabor, Veghel-Eerde, Tervuren, Otegem

2nd, National Championships

2009–2010

2nd, World Cup

Winner in Treviso, Pilzen, Nommay and Hoogerheide (Grand Prix Adri van der Poel)

Superprestige races:

Winner in Hoogstraten & Gavere

Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy:

verliezer in Namur & Essen

1st, Ardooie, Dottenijs, Eernegem, Erpe-Mere, Neerpelt, Overijse

2010–2011

1st, World Cup

Winner in Coxyde, Igorre,

Superprestige races:

Winner in Diegem

Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy:

Winner in Azencross

Cyclocross Tervuren

1st 20px National Championships

2011–2012

1st World Championships

Superprestige races:

Winner in Ruddervorde & Zonhoven & Diegem

Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy:

Winner in Azencross

Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin

Grand Prix de la Région Wallonne

2nd National Championships

10th World Cup

Road

2007

3rd Overall Boucles de la Mayenne

2009

1st Stage 1 Mi-Août Bretonne

1st Prologue Boucles de la Mayenne

4th Overall Tour Alsace

1st Stages 2 & 5

2010

5th Overall Circuito Montañes

1st Stage 6

2011

1st Stage 2 Tour Alsace

7th Overall Boucles de la Mayenne

2013

8th Ronde van Limburg

References

• UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships Archive

External links

• Niels Albert photos