Anniversary: Museeuw in Lugano 1996 - 30 years

This week the World Road Race Championship is taking place in Montreal, Canada. The last time the event was held in Montreal was 1974. Belgium's Eddy Merckx took his third - and final - rainbow jersey. That day Merckx became the first in history to win the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championship Road Race in the same season. It was also the first time the event had ever been held outside of continental Europe. 

22 years later, a Belgian named Johan Museeuw won the World Championship Road Race in Lugano, Switzerland. It happened to be Museeuw's birthday as well, he turned 31. One week earlier, Museeuw contemplated quitting cycling after finishing Paris - Tours. Eddy Merckx told Museeuw "Johan, raise your saddle two millimeters. Do it, and you can become World Champion." Merckx often seemed to know things like this.

One thing Merckx didn't know was that birthday morning in Lugano Museeuw slipped his feet into DeFeet socks for the very first time. 252 kilometers later, Museeuw was World Champion. He has worn for the same brand of socks ever since.

2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Museeuw's historic victory in DeFeet. Swiss rider Mauro Gianetti, today the team manager of Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team, took the silver medal on home roads. To mark the special anniversary, Museeuw reached out to DeFeet. This time he chose the EVO Air rather than the original Aireator. He wanted his made custom, with STüDIO by DeFeet.

Johan went on to win a lot in DeFeet. Paris - Roubaix, Tour of Flanders and many more. Such was his hunger to win he became known as "The Lion of Flanders". In 2023 he featured in the DeFeet film, Flandrien. 

Happy anniversary, Johan. We salute you and wish you many more big anniversaries of your first win with DeFeet and the Aireator in Lugano, 1996.