Frans Slaats

Frans Slaats (born Waalwijk, Netherlands, 11 June 1912, died Waalwijk, 6 April 1993) was a Dutch professional cyclist who broke the world hour record.

Slaats was a prominent velodrome rider in the 1930s, especially in six-day racing. In September 1937 he set the world hour record at 45.558 km on the Vigorelli track in Milan, Italy. It was bettered the same year by the French rider, Maurice Archambaud.

Slaats was at the Buenos Aires six-day in Argentina when World War II erupted in 1939. On returning to the Netherlands when peace came in 1945, he found his four brothers had been killed by the German army.

Palmarès

1934 2nd Berlin six-day 1936 3rd Ronde van Valkenburg 1st Amsterdam six-day 2nd Ghent six-day 1st Copenhagen six-day 1937 1st Antwerp six-day World hour record 1st Copenhagen six-day 1938 1st Ghent six-day 2nd Antwerp six-day 1939 1st Brussels six-day 3rd Copenhagen six-day 1944 1st Buenos Aires six-day