Dutch rider Den Hertog dies at age 64

Fedor den Hertog, one of the Netherlands' most successful amateur riders, died Saturday after a long illness. The 64-year-old had won an Olympic gold medal and stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

Den Hertog was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007. He died in hospice in Ermelo.

He won the gold medal in the 100 km team trial at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City, along with teammates Joop Zoetemelk, Jan Krekels and René Pijnen.

Den Hertog was considered one of the best amateur riders in the world from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. He won national titles on the track, and also won the Milk Race (twice), the our of B Belgium, Tour de l'Avenir, and the Olympia Tour, as well s the DDR Rundfahrt (Tour of East Germany).

In 1969, he won the Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt, after winning all eight stages, or according to other sources, nine of the eleven stages.

Den Hertog turned pro in 1974, but was not as successful as he had been as an amateur. However, he won stages in the Tour of Netherlands, Tour of the Mediterranean, and Paris-Nice,. His biggest year professionally was 1977, when he won stages in both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana, as well as the Dutch national road title.