RIP Alan van Heerden

[THE BODY CENTRE]

I met him this at this year's Vets Tour in Nottingham ... what an immediate presence he had! I think the comment about the white bar tape, sums it all up!

 

 ...go Alan

[Chezpro]

So sorry to hear about Alan, I grew up in SA and Alan was my 'idol'!

RIP Alan, Love to all his family - God Bless.

Cherie Pridham

 

I also have a message from Alan, Ann and Colin Sturgess below:

 

Alan van Heerden

 

We met Alan van Heerden in Deale and Huth's shop in Johannesburg ,this was in 1975. Colin 6 -1/2 and I were wandering around Johannesburg trying to find a proper bike shop,as soon as we entered ,we were greeted by Alan . He chatted to us and discovered that we were going to be living only minutes from   his and his parents house and immediately invited us round to meet everyone and we were included in all sorts of cycling activities and social evenings at their house.

 We soon discovered that Alan was South Africas best ever road man ,he was never given the opportunity to ride in World Championships or Olympics . He lived and raced in Belgium and won a stage in the Giro d'Italia .

 In fact when Colin lived in Belgium he lived in the same flat that had been used by Alan and a number of the occupants remembered Alan.

He was a great track man winning the National pursuit on a number of occasions , on road or track Alan was always a force to be reckoned with and always likely to be the winner of most events he competed in .

 

His later non cycling years were we understand troubled but we shall always remember Alan  as he was when we knew him 1975-1985, our years in South Africa and no doubt the inspiration of seeing Alan racing and winning will have helped Colin to his Worlds win in 1989.

 

To be killed in such a tragic way is a terrible shame.

 

God rest your soul Alan,

and condolences to your family.

 

from your friends Ann, Alan and Colin Sturgess

--------------------

[RobbieDale]

The Idol...the reason I started to cycle.

 

A true professional way ahead of his time. Winner of the longest stage in the history of the Giro D'Italia. He was the pioneer of what today is SA Pro cycling.

 

He could sprint, time trail and climb. He enjoyed the track and his bike was always clean, even after a stage in the rain!

 

RIP Idol.

 

 

[WarrenBuffet]

does anyone know what happened and where?  sad news no doubt, a reminder to remain alert when in the proximity of cars - more deadly than sharks or criminals.

[AOB1]

 If I can isolate one phrase in my journey of understanding the life of Alan van Heerden it would be the words of Theodore Roosevelt who wrote : 

 

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the great twilight that knows no victory or defeat" 

 

I am deeply saddened by the death of Alan. His passion for cycling has left an indelible impression on my life.

 

 

 

OB1

AOB12009-12-15 23:40:26

[Guest Big H]

RIP Alan

 

'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.'

[Malkie]

http://www.nuus24.com/Content/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/1479/386eb44361954ac7975b10ad79a1f63c/16-12-2009-07-30/Fietsry-legende_Alan_van_Heerden_sterf

[barrykm]

Terribly sad. I only met Alan once, briefly earlier this year, a very nice guy. R.I.P.

[shaunvh]

To All

 

Thanks so much to all of you for your kind words to my father. We are greatly appreciated to all of you and may we all rememebr the idol for the great man and father he was. He will be greatly missed and will remain with love in our hearts forever.

 

Love you dad and will miss you

 

Shaun van Heerden

[jenks]

I remember riding out to the Lido in the 90s early one morning with my cycling bud, Dionn. We were doing the pro's 120km circuit when we came up on Alan riding with one of his team mates. He was obviously recovering from the weekend's racing.

 

What a gent. We rode silently with him, in awe, along the mist covered roads that pointed, purposefully through the haze. It's a special memory of a real gentleman, a good businessman and a spectacularly capable athlete.

 

RIP Alan van Heerden.

[gummibear]

Any word as to what happened yet?

[Tyrone van]

To all,

 

 

 

Thank You for all the support and kind words. He was loved and always will be. He was a legend and as humble as he was kind. He was an Idol and there will never be another "Idol" like he was.

 

 

 

We love you dad and you will live on in our hearts.

 

 

 

Tyrone van Heerden

[Delgado]

When I think about Alan all I can sum up in two words...........true pedigree! The rider who did so much and yet could have done even more not for the politics that prevented even greater accomplishments. Rest easy and sincere condolences to his fans and family!

 

RIP

[gummibear]

Tyrone

 

My thoughts are with you and your familly at this time.

 

I only met Alan a few times and he was a great gentleman.He inspired me to ride.

[Andrew mclean]

Alan van Heerden- The Idol.

 

Born 11 December 1953 was sadly taken on 15th Dec 2009, not on his bike as we may have expected, but in a tragic

 

Car accident.

 

 

 

Alan or more affectionately know as ?The Idol? was one of if not South Africa?s greatest cyclists.

 

Alan had just recovered from by-pass surgery last week, was fit and well and looking forward to getting back onto his bike.

 

 

 

Alan effectively introduced Professional cycling to SA.

 

Alan you were the ultimate professional on a Bike! You made cycling look effortless and could do everything [climb. Sprint and TT]

 

You were a one day specialist and world class Tour rider.

 

You taught most of us local Pro?s how to be a true Pro.

 

 

 

Alan was the 1st SA cyclist ever to win a stage of grand Tour- The Giro de Italia. [ Stage 7 of the 1979 Giro]

 

Alan was a successful businessman with Alan Van Heerden Cycles making the Colnago Bike brand a house hold name.

 

 

 

Won the World's Veteran Championship, Austria 1989,1995;

 

Colours: Springbok Colours 12 times between 1974-89,

 

Springbok Colours as Manager of Springbok team 1989;

 

 

 

I was lucky enough to race both with and against The Idol, but also to have him manage me to a podium in a Rapport Tour that I will never forget.

 

Van I can still hear your words ?Boy now you listen to me; I was winning races before you were even born?

 

 

 

Alan, was a larger than life character, a true icon of SA cycling and will be sorely missed.

 

 

 

My Condolences to family and friends especially, Sean, Tyron and Wendy and Vanessa (Alan?s sister)

 

Andrew McLean.

[Andrew mclean]

Alan had been experiencing numbness and pains in his arm and shortness of breath for some weeks. He was admitted to Linksfield Clinic on Sat 5th Dec where after extensive tests it was discovered he had a severe blocked artery in his right shoulder which according to the specialist stemmed from a shoulder injury sustained in a cycling fall over 20 yrs ago and where the shoulder had not mended properly. In addition, it was found that his shortness of breath was being caused by a clot on the lung thought to be a result of broken ribs after being hit by a car while out riding in February this year.

 

 

 

An emergency procedure to try and unblock the artery was performed on Tuesday 8th Dec. This did not work and on Friday 11th Dec (Alan?s 56th birthday) he underwent a lengthy bypass procedure, feeding an artery across his chest from his left side to his right arm. The operation was successful however this meant that he had to go on Warfarin (to prevent blood clotting) for a number of months. Alan made a remarkable recovery after surgery and was released from hospital on Monday 14th Dec.

 

 

 

At 9.38am yesterday morning, only a short while after leaving home, Alan was critically injured whilst driving on the N1 north.   Full details of the accident are still sketchy, according to paramedics it appeared he was travelling in the left lane and hit a concrete barrier where the lanes narrow and merge. Alan was thrown from the vehicle and sustained damage to his new artery, a broken pelvis, severe head injuries and brain trauma. Despite all efforts to reverse the effects of the Warfurin and stem the bleeding particularly on the brain, Alan left us at 3.10pm on Tuesday 15th December.

 

Vanessa. Alan's Sister.