Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeOtherEditorialChris Anker Sørensen

Chris Anker Sørensen

-

It was ironic that Chris Anker Sørensen’s life should end doing what he had become known for after his career as a professional cyclist was over – preparing meticulously for his role as a TV race commentator, out riding the parcours of Sunday’s World Individual Time Trial Championship in Flanders.

The 37 year-old Dane was hit by a van near Zeebrugge and died from his injuries.

I heard the sad news from my Danish friend, Jakob Hansen-Schwartz who said; 

“He was always open for (funny) comments when he was active as a pro; he rode with great courage and was deeply respected by his peers.

And he gave something special to the art of cycle race commentary. 

“He was always well prepared, he knew the name of every rider in the peloton and their palmarès.”

Chris Anker Sørensen. Photo©Getty

Born in in the small Jutland town of Hammel in 1984 ‘CAS,’ as he was known, first appears in the palmarès sites as bronze medallist in the 2001 Danish Junior Road Race Championship behind a man whose career would run in parallel to his, Matti Breschel.

Sørensen’s professional career started with Danish squad, Designa Kokken in 2005 when he won a stage in the Ringerike stage race in Norway for them.

That year saw a spell as a stagiaire with CSC, a team he would join in 2007 and would endure with through all the incarnations – CSC, Saxo, Tinkoff up until 2015.

Season 2006 saw him with Designa Kokken and achieving solid placings including just missing the podium in the prestigious Belgian u23 stage race, the Triptyque des Barrages.

His debut season with CSC in 2007 saw fifth overall in the Tour of Germany as his best result, a season when he rode the first Grand Tour of his career – the Vuelta.

The following season was arguably his most successful with stage wins in the Dauphine and Tour of Austria as well as a podium in the tough, late season GP Isbergues.

Season 2009 saw him win the Japan Cup and just miss out to Breschel in the National Road Race Championship.

His biggest win came 2010 when he won Stage Eight of the Giro which finished atop the monster Terminillo climb. 

Photo©Ed Hood

VeloVeritas editor, Martin and I were roadside that day among the mist and low cloud with our friend, Dave Chapman SMS-ing us race updates as he watch the action on TV back in Scotland.

I wrote at the time;

Sorensen alone, three to K go’ says Dave.

And there he is, suddenly out of the mist, the motorbike lights making it all look like some sort of 3D computer game, killing himself on a tiny gear

A memorable moment but one to look back on with sadness now.

In 2011 he took the mountains classification in the Tour of Romandie, won the Sparekassen Himmerland GP in his native land and produced a strong sixth place in Liege-Bastogne-Liege behind Philippe Gilbert.

He took the mountains classification in the Tour of Catalonia in 2012 and finished third in the Tour de France’s mountains rankings.

What would have been his greatest success narrowly eluded him in 2013 when Diego Ulissi pipped him to the prestigious Italian semi-classic, the Giro dell’Emilia.

The Giro and Vuelta were both on his 2014 agenda with the honour he had been chasing for 15 years finally coming his way in 2015 when he took the Danish Elite Road Race Championship.

In 2016 he rode the last of his five Tours de France in the colours of French pro-continental team, Fortuneo – Vital Concept with a season best of fifth on GC in La Provence.

For 2017 he was with Danish continental team, Riwal with fourth overall in the tough Kreizh Breizh stage race in Brittany his best result.

Chris Anker Sørensen, R.I.P.

His last season 2018 was spent with Riwal with whom he would go on to function as DS up until his death.

His career as a race pundit with TV2 ran in parallel with his management role with Riwal. 

He is survived by his wife and two young daughters.

* * *

VeloVeritas extend our deepest sympathies to CAS’ friends and family at this sad time.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Ian Steel

We learnt with sadness yesterday that Scottish rider Ian Steel had passed away, at the age of 86. Ian became national champion in 1952 and rode and won the famous Peace Race by taking the lead on stage eight of twelve as his British team won both the individual and team titles. We thought readers would appreciate revisiting out interview with Ian from a few years ago.

Harry Hampson

Harry Hampson wasn’t a man that VeloVeritas knew personally but we knew of him from the many mentions of his name in the ‘Cycling Weekly’ in the days when the magazine was the main reporting organ for cycle sport in the UK. And when Mr. Hampson died recently we were struck by the outpouring of emotion from the men he mentored/coached, ‘back in the day.’

Steve Beech

My old dad used to say to me that you knew you were getting old when it seemed like every other week you had to attend a friend’s funeral. I scoffed; but now I understand what he meant – it’s not funerals with me but rather writing cyclists’ obituaries and sadly, I must another to the list, my old GS Modena, Brummie team mate, Steve Beech.

Memories of Jason MacIntyre

It's a year since Jason MacIntyre died; just like I can remember where I was when JFK was shot, I can remember receiving the call from James McCallum as I drove through Cramond. Jason was a special rider, I loved to watch him in a time trial; to me he was poetry in motion.

Jim Moore

Rest in peace, Jim Moore, the British ex-pro who emigrated to Canada in 1974 enjoyed a long and varied career, from amateur road and track man in the UK to ‘independent’ in France, representing GB in the 1964 Tour de l’Avenir, a ride in the Skol Six Day, and a successful pro career in the UK before crossing the Atlantic.

Dean Woods

We were sad to hear the news of the passing of one of Australia’s top track and road men, Dean Woods, on March the 3rd at the age of 55. He’ll be missed by everybody whose lives he touched. Admired, loved and respected by all. A truly iconic legend.

Norman Hill, Bernard Tapie and Heiko Salzwedel, R.I.P.

In recent weeks we’ve lost three important figures within our King of Sports; Norman Hill, a man who did it all, road, the Belgian Kermis scene, Six Days, big motors, even cyclo-cross, Bernard Tapie, the man responsible for riders beginning to get paid what they were worth, and track coach Heiko Salzwedel.

Erik De Vlaeminck

If you’re of this generation then Sven Nys will probably be your King of ‘crosses - but if you grew up in the 70’s then you’ll know that the true Monarch of the Mud was that stocky man of Flanders; Erik De Vlaeminck, big brother to ‘Monsieur Paris-Roubaix’ Roger De Vlaeminck. Sadly, the elder De Vlaeminck brother died today in the town where he was born, Eeklo in the heart of East Flanders.