# Joseph Bruyère

Joseph Bruyere or Bruyère (born 5 October 1948 in Maastricht, Netherlands) is a former Belgian cyclist.

## Career

Professional from 1970 to 1980, Joseph Bruyère, athlete of one meter 88 for 80 kilo, notably won Liège-Bastogne-Liège twice and an individual stage of the Tour de France 1972.
He is one of the specialists of the classic Het Volk, which he won in 1974, 1975 and 1980 (a shared record) and of Liège-Bastogne-Liège which he won in 1976 and 1978.
Bruyère participated in six Tours de France and achieved a victory in 1972 in the 19th stage between Auxerre and Versailles. He wore the yellow jersey twice, in 1974 for three days and in 1978 for eight days. On the 1978 edition, he finished fourth in the general classification, despite a size that was not well suited to the mountains.
From the start of his professional career, he was part of Eddy Merckx's team, until the latter retired from sport.

### Team mate of Eddy Merckx

Bruyère rode several seasons as the strongest, and most loyal lieutenants, to the super-star rider Eddy Merckx. He was known to ride on the front of the peloton for many miles, and often for much of a mountain stage until the last climb, doing the work of a whole team of domestiques.
After Merckx retired from racing Bruyère tried to take over from Merckx as a big star, but he wasn't able to, having given his best years to the service of Merckx.

## Major results
### As amateur

    1968
    1st stage 4 Tour de Namur
    3rd National Track Championship - Men's individual pursuit

#### 1969

    1st Flèche Ardennaise
    1st Championship of the Liège province
    1st Romsée-Stavelot-Romsée
    1st Seraing-Aix-Seraing

### As professional
#### 1970

    1st Stage 3a Tour de France (TTT)
    2nd Trophée des Grimpeurs
    2nd Tour du Condroz
    2nd Flèche Hesbignonne

#### 1971

    1st Prologue Tour de France (TTT)
    1st Ronde van Oost-Vlaanderen
    1st Prologue Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (TTT)
    2nd Overall Tour de la Nouvelle France
    5th Milan-San Remo
    7th Liège-Bastogne-Liège

#### 1972

    Tour de France
       1st Stage 3b (TTT) & 19
    1st Overall Cronostaffetta
       1st Stage 1b (ITT)
    1st Flèche rebecquoise
    3rd Leiedal Koerse

#### 1973

    1st Stage 3b (TTT) Vuelta a España
    1st Overall Cronostaffetta
       1st Stage 1c (ITT)
    3rd Grand Prix de Fourmies

#### 1974

    Tour de France
       1st Stage 6b (TTT)
       Held for 3 days
    1st Omloop Het Volk
    1st Prologue Paris–Nice (with Eddy Merckx)
    2nd GP Union Dortmund
    3rd Classica Sarda

#### 1975

    1st Overall Tour Méditerranéen
    1st Omloop Het Volk
    1st stage 1 Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
    3rd Amstel Gold Race
    5th Milan-San Remo
    8th Paris–Nice

#### 1976

    1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    1st Prologue Tour de Romandie (with Eddy Merckx)
    1t Stage 22 Giro d'Italia (ITT)
    1st Druivenkoers Overijse

#### 1977

    2nd Overall Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
       1st stage 1 Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
    1st Stage 7b Tour de France (TTT)
    2nd Belgian National Road Race Championships - Road Race
    3rd Tour du Condroz
    4rd Paris–Nice
    10th Liège–Bastogne–Liège

#### 1978

    4th Overall Tour de France
       Held for 8 days
    1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    1st Tour du Condroz
    2nd Overall La Méditerranéenne
    10th La Flèche Wallonne

#### 1980

    1st Omloop Het Volk

## Tour de France

* 1970 - 50th
* 1971 - 60th
* 1972 - 26th; winner of 19th stage
* 1974 - 21st (4 days in the yellow jersey)
* 1978 - 4th (8 days in the yellow jersey)