Henri Vanlerberghe

Henri Vanlerberghe, sometimes written Van Lerberghe, was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer born in Lichtervelde on 29 January 1891 who died there on 10 April 1966. In 1919 he won the third edition of the Tour of Flanders. He was nicknamed the deathrider from Lichtervelde because at the start of most races he told his opponents he would ride them to death; he attacked early, which made him popular with cycling fans but cost him energy, so he rarely lasted to the finish. In the 1913 Tour de France he started as an isolated rider without a team and won the fifth stage, and in the 1919 Tour of Flanders he attacked with 120 kilometres to go and reached the finish 14 minutes ahead, the largest winning margin in that race.