Overview
Cees Haast (19 November 1938 – 18 January 2019) was a Dutch professional road cyclist. Known within the Netherlands for a durable career on the professional circuit, Haast rode for several prominent teams and competed in national and international stage races during the era in which professional cycling expanded across Europe. A concise profile of his career can be found via contemporary cycling records professional record.
Early life and career
Haast was born in Rijsbergen, in the province of North Brabant. He turned professional in the 1960s and established himself as a reliable team rider. While not always in the spotlight as a headline winner, his steady performances made him a trusted member of the squads he represented and a familiar figure in Dutch road racing of the period.
Racing style and significance
As a professional, Haast combined endurance with tactical awareness, traits valued in stage races and long one-day events. Riders of his profile commonly served both as support for team leaders and as contenders for select stages or secondary classifications. His career illustrates the important role played by such riders in sustaining team strategies and national cycling depth.
Teams
- Télévizier
- Bic
- Willem II
Death and legacy
Cees Haast died of lung cancer on 18 January 2019 in Rucphen at the age of 80. His passing was reported by cycling news outlets and remembered by the local cycling community as the loss of a respected veteran of the sport death notice. He remains part of the generation that helped build postwar Dutch road racing.
Further reading
For race results and additional context about his professional seasons, see the compiled archives and team histories cycling archive.