Rigard van Klooster


Rigardus Antonius "Rigard" van Klooster is a former Dutch track racing cyclist and speed skater.
WWW rigardvanklooster.nl

Sport career

Speed skating

Rigard van Klooster started his sports career with speed skating. He started with speed skating when he was very young, started competing in 2002, and won his first national junior championship in 2006 as a B-junior. Since the season 2007–2008, Van Klooster skated for Gewest Noord-Holland/Utrecht and was a trainee at the APPM-team since the 2008–2009 season. As an elite athlete, Van Klooster competed in 2010 and 2011 at both the [KNSB Netherlands|Dutch Allround Championships|Dutch Allround Championships] and the Dutch Single Distance Championships. He finished 17th overall at the 2010 KNSB Dutch Allround Championships and 22nd overall at the 2011 KNSB Dutch Allround Championships.

Track cycling

;2011
A wingate test in early 2011 showed that van Klooster had the potential for track cycling. After some track cycling sessions, the KNWU offered van Klooster a place in the development team and a room in Papendal, near the velodrome in Apeldoorn. Van Klooster took the offer and quit speed skating. He rode in his first international competition at the Trois Jours d'Aigle, where he finished 13th. Two weeks after riding the two days of Wien, Van Klooster became the Dutch national sprint champion for amateurs in December. Later that month, after getting an elite license, he placed 4th in the 1 km time trial at the Dutch national track championships and 7th in both the keirin and the sprint.
;2012
Van Klooster competed in the International Track Grand Prix of Alkmaar, Perth, Colorado Springs, Cottbus and Vienna. In Vienna, he won bronze in the team sprint. Based on his results, he qualified for the 2012 European Track Championships where he finished 6th in the team sprint and 12th in the keirin. At the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classic in Glasgow he competed in the keirin. He finished twice in third place and did not reach the second round.

Results in major competitions

Speed skating

Junior period

European Junior Games

Vikingrace

Interland

Dutch Junior Championships

Track cycling

Personal records

; Speed skating
DistanceTimeDateIce Rink
500 meter36.5119 March 2011Olympic Oval, Calgary
1000 meter1:11.2819 March 2011Olympic Oval, Calgary
1500 meter1:48.7216 March 2011Olympic Oval, Calgary
3000 meter3:56.5615 March 2011Olympic Oval, Calgary
5000 meter6:47.4715 October 2009Thialf, Heerenveen
5000 meter14:30.7221 March 2010De Westfries, Hoorn

;Track cycling
DisciplineTimeDateTrackCompetitionRef
Sprint (200m)10.29725 June 2012Colorado Springs Velodrome, Colorado SpringsUS Grand Prix of Sprinting
Time trial (1000m)1:05.11413 May 2012Oderland-Halle, Frankfurt