Born: 8th September 1948, Roeselare, Belgium
Died: 15th March 1971, Sint-Pieters-Lille, Belgium
Number of professional victories: 31
Flandria 1969 - 1971
Jempi Monseré was a talented amateur who turned professional with Flandria in 1969, and promptly won the Tour of Lombardy. He was third behind Eddy Merckx and Herman Van Springel in the 1970 Belgian National Championship, and was selected for the World Championships to be held later that year at Leicester in England. Near the end of that race he made the selection to the lead group, where he jumped away from favourite, Felice Gimondi, to win the world title. The rainbow jersey turned out to be a curse for Monseré, however. His father, who could not drink alcohol because of a heart condition, tragically died during the celebration of his son’s win. On 15th March 1971, during the Grand Prix de Retie, a car drove onto the course and collided head-on with the World Champion. Monseré was killed on the spot. In a further cruel twist of fate, in 1976, Monseré’s seven-year-old son was also struck and killed by a car while riding a bicycle given to him by his godfather Freddy Maertens.
Major placings whilst riding for Flandria:
1969 Flandria - De Clerck
1st Tour of Lombardy
1970 Flandria - Mars
1st World Road Race Championship
