Belgian legend Impanis dies after fight with cancer

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Cycling fans began the new year without one of the sport's heroes. Belgian classics star, Raymond Impanis died on Friday in Vilvoorde at the age of 85 after a long battle with cancer.

Born on October 19, 1925, in Berg, he became one of cycling's dominant figures in the 1950s. Impanis won Tour de France stages, Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Ghent-Wevelgem and, the race that every young Flemish boy dreams of, the Tour of Flanders. Even with the resulting fame, his colleagues still affectionately called him the Baker of Berg thanks to his parents' business.

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Gregor Brown

Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.