The best name in cycling
Broomwagon: The satirical column that puts the bile into bicycle. Broomwagon appears at the back of Cycle Sport magazine every month.
Frans Maassen, former Dutch champion and Tour de France stage winner, now a directeur sportif at Rabobank has the best name in cycling. His full name is Franciscus Albertus Antonius Johannes Maassen. Well, according to that ever-reliable resource Wikipedia it is. So we rang him to check.
Frans: Yes, that’s what it says on my passport.
Broomwagon: What a great name. What’s the story behind it?
Frans: You’d have to ask my parents what they were thinking.
Broomwagon: Have you ever asked them?
Frans: I think when you’re Catholic these names mean something.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Broomwagon: Did you ever find it embarrassing?
Frans: No. Well, I didn’t tell people too much. I was just Frans Maassen.
Broomwagon: So, what should we call you? Franciscus Albertus Antonius Johannes?
Frans: No, no, no. Frans is fine. Really. Please. Just Frans Maassen.
Broomwagon: You got it, Franciscus.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
Wout van Aert back on drop bars as he says he’s ‘almost professional again’ in Strava post
Visma-Lease a Bike rider broke his collarbone, sternum and several ribs in a high speed crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'Ride like you own the road' - Zoe Bäckstedt on Paris-Roubaix Femmes, her Grand Tour debut and her new Red Bull helmet
Bäckstedt recently landed sponsorship from the energy drink giants and joined the likes of Tom Pidcock, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Evie Richards as a Red Bull athlete
By Tom Thewlis Published