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Boet van Dulmen

Antonius Pius Maria "Boet" van Dulmen (; 19 May 1948 – 16 September 2021) was a Dutch professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between and , mostly as a privateer racer. Van Dulmen was prominent for his impressive wet weather riding abilities.

Motorcycle racing career

Van Dulmen was born in Ammerzoden, Gelderland, Netherlands, on 19 May 1948. As a child, he was nicknamed "Boet" by his brother. As a teenager, he began to work as an apprentice motorcycle mechanic at a friend's garage and from there developed an interest in motorcycle racing.

At the age of 26, van Dulmen competed in his first World Championship event at the 1974 250cc Belgian Grand Prix riding a MZ motorcycle. He scored the first podium result of his career with a third-place at the 1979 500cc Swedish Grand Prix behind Barry Sheene and Jack Middelburg. One week later, van Dulmen defeated Randy Mamola and Sheene at the 1979 500cc Finnish Grand Prix to claim the first and only world championship victory of his career. He ended the season ranked sixth the premier 500 class. He also won the Dutch round of the 1979 Formula 750 Championship held at the Assen Circuit.

Van Dulmen scored two more podium results in with a second-place behind the eventual World Champion Marco Lucchinelli at the 1981 Dutch TT, and another second-place behind Barry Sheene at the 1981 500cc Swedish Grand Prix. At the age of 38, he competed in his final world championship race at the 1986 500cc San Marino Grand Prix.

Together with Wil Hartog and Jack Middelburg, he was part of a contingent of Dutch riders who competed at the highest levels of Grand Prix racing in the late 1970s.

Later life and death

After his motorcycle racing career, van Dulmen started his own transport company. His hometown of Ammerzoden honored him in 2020 with a bronze bust.

Van Dulmen was killed in a road accident in Ammerzoden on 16 September 2021 at the age of 73. He was hit by a delivery van while riding his bicycle and, despite surgical intervention, he died later in hospital.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

() (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

References