Former cyclocross star and Indurain's lead-out man, now 62: 'Struggling with an opponent he can’t shake'
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Follow us on Google“Twelve years as a pro. Five Tours de France. And now an opponent who won’t go away.” Those are the words that open the website for the Erwin Nijboer Ride for Alzheimer’s, which will take place on May 23. The 62-year-old Dutchman, formerly Miguel Indurain’s lead domestique and also a skilled cyclocross rider, wants to raise as much money as possible—not for himself, but for those who come after him.
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Nijboer enjoyed success on the cyclocross field
When the European Cyclocross Championships are held in Zeddam this Saturday and Sunday, Nijboer’s thoughts will likely drift back to about 25 years ago. In both 1982 and 1983, he was the Dutch junior cyclocross champion, a category in which he also finished second at the World Championships in 1982.
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Eventually, the road beckoned: Nijboer signed with Seat-Orbea in July 1985, along with Mathieu Hermans from Brabant. That turned out to be a winning combination: just one year later, they were already riding the Tour de France together, where Hermans made a name for himself by finishing second, third, and fourth in a single stage. “Erwin was super, super strong,” said Hermans.
In 1988, everything fell into place for the Dutch duo. Hermans won several stages in Valencia, Murcia, and Catalonia and cheerfully continued that streak in the Vuelta a España, where—with Nijboer’s loyal support—he won 6 (!) stages. The most remarkable victory came on day sixteen: Hermans crashed in one of the final turns, but the selfless Nijboer waited for him immediately, brought him back into the race, and the rider from Brabant went on to win after all.
Kijk vanaf 25:30!
'Dad is always there for others', says son Mick
That day, the character of the man from Denekamp shone through clearly. His son Mick in 2026 summed it up to us, “Dad’s always there for others—he’s really in the thick of things. He’s sociable, always willing to help others in all sorts of ways. He strikes up a conversation everywhere he goes and helps people with odd jobs. He’s just a real gem of a guy.”
Hermans will feel the same way: after this success, they headed to the Tour together, where Hermans lost twice to his fellow countryman Jean-Paul van Poppel. One season later, they finally succeeded in La Grande Boucle, after once again dominating three stages in the Vuelta a España.
In 1990, Nijboer himself struck gold in the Vuelta after successfully completing a grueling 200-kilometer breakaway in Almería. By then, Hermans and Nijboer had already gone their separate ways: Nijboer moved to Germany to ride for Stuttgart and Telekom, after which he returned to Spain to ride for Artiach and Banesto.
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Nijboer visited Indurain just last summer
The iconic Banesto, that is, led by Miguel Indurain—who was already a multiple Tour winner at that point. In 1994, Nijboer would also ride into Paris wearing the yellow jersey of his team leader, who, even today, remains deeply concerned for his former domestique. “When Miguel heard about my father’s early-onset dementia, he was completely devastated. Just like everyone else, really.”
“Last summer, we spent another day with him in his home region and ate pintxos [a style of tapas from the Basque Country] there,” recalls his son Mick. It’s not yet clear whether Indurain will also be there on May 23 for the Erwin Nijboer Ride for Alzheimer’s. But the following riders are confirmed to participate: Michael Boogerd, Erik Dekker, Erik Breukink, Hennie Kuiper, and, of course, Hermans.
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The Nijboer family, including Miguel Indurain.
It’s telling how Nijboeraan is still viewed in those circles. He retired from professional cycling in 1996, but cycling has always been his life. Lately, he’s been working at LeendersFietsen in Hengelo. He worked in sales, but due to early-onset dementia, his hours were reduced, and he found that building bikes suited him better.
A while back, the family noticed that their father was a bit more absent-minded and was reacting differently. As a result, they scheduled a visit with their doctor and he was diagnosed with MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment), a condition that falls between normal age-related forgetfulness and dementia and can have various causes.
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Nijboer is still cycling in full swing
The Nijboer family didn’t just accept the situation; they knew their father wasn’t the same person he used to be, so to speak. So they went to the Alzheimer’s Center in Amsterdam, where the rug was pulled out from under them. It turned out that Mr. Nijboer—husband, father, and grandfather—had early-onset dementia, specifically Alzheimer’s disease: his cerebellum is slowly dying off, and in cases of early-onset dementia, this process often progresses even faster than in the “classic” form of Alzheimer’s that occurs later in life.
“It’s just sh*t,” Mick sums it up perfectly in one sentence. His father was always busy, always sociable, but now he’s struggling with an opponent he can’t shake. “He built his own house, but now, when it comes to laying a small wall, he says, ‘I know how it’s supposed to be done, but I just can’t do it.’”
His son explains how things are going now. “Cycling remains his passion and his life. Every Sunday—and preferably twice a week—we still go cycling together. He still knows the routes really well, because he knows the Denekamp area like the back of his hand. But when we were in Portugal last summer—a place he’s been to many times—he couldn’t find his way from the supermarket to the apartment.”
Early-onset dementia often manifests differently from the classic picture of dementia in later life: it tends to manifest as social problems, because people are often still in the prime of their lives. “My wife is pregnant now, and sometimes Dad asks about it, but other times he doesn’t. He can’t help it—it’s in his brain,” says Mick.
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Join the Erwin Nijboer Ride for Alzheimer's
His sons and wife are calling on everyone to continue to include and engage with people with (early-onset) dementia. “Just because he sometimes forgets things or reacts a little differently doesn’t mean you can’t have a conversation with him. His sense of humor is still the same, and he still really enjoys things, like going for bike rides together.”
So they’ll also be cycling on May 23, as part of the Erwin Nijboer Ride for Alzheimer’s. “Not for himself, but for those who come after him,” as the saying goes. Nijboer and his inner circle are organizing three routes (40, 75, and 125 kilometers) through Twente, in the Netherlands, and several former pros have already confirmed their participation.
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Nijboer was diagnosed with a condition for which there is currently no treatment and which often lasts for years—at an age when one is still living life to the fullest. For him, treatment has come too late (Nijboer says he doesn’t want to live to see the moment when he can no longer remember his past life), but that doesn’t have to be the case for others. That’s why he and his family are so committed to helping others facing the same condition. “And what better way to do that than by biking? It’s what Dad loves to do most—and what keeps him fit!”
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026