1984: Jan Raas, the founding father

There is a significant amount of cycling history behind the Lotto NL Jumbo team, the most part of which, during its three decades of existence, took place in the orange jerseys of Rabobank. It was a symbol of Dutch cycling, even if the team also counted on its Spanish recruits to swell the number of victories on its roll of honour (Freire, LL. Sanchez, Garate, etc.). In the beginning, it was in the jersey of Kwantum Hallen that the team made its appearance in the pack. The team’s boss was none other than its leader, Jan Raas, who grabbed his tenth stage victory on the Tour de France in Bordeaux, but the only time it has ever been achieved by a rider-manager! Thirty years later, another Dutchman encountered success, with the team now riding under the moniker Belkin, on a stage that included the cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix. On that day, Lars Boom reached the finish in Arenberg alone and ahead of the pack, his face splattered with mud, indirectly associating the name of his team for the first time with the Queen of the Classics.
 
Lotto NL Jumbo riders to watch out for on Le Tour 2017: George Bennett (NZ), Dylan Groenewegen (NL)