Robert de Wilde is a Dutch professional "Mid/Current School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1990–2003. His nicknames are "The Flying Dutchman" in reference to his speed and his nationality and "Afro-Bob" because of his long wild, uncombed hair. He was chosen for the Dutch BMX Olympic team to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China where he reached the Quarter Finals.
Racing career milestones
Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated. Started Racing: 1982 at the age of five years. A friend got him into it. Sanctioning Body: First race result: First win : First sponsor: First national win: Turned Professional: January 1999 at the age of 21 years. During 1999 and prior de Wilde was one of only three total pros Europe ever had due to the nature of racing rules with the European sanctioning bodies at the time, which did not permit a full pro class in which an unlimited amount of money can be earned by the racer at a race. First Professional race result : First Professional race result : First Professional win : First Professional win : First Junior Pro* win : First Junior Pro* win : First Senior Pro** race result : First Senior Pro** race result : First Senior Pro win : First Senior Pro win : Retired: Still active. Height & weight at height of his career : Ht:6'2" Wt:215 lbs. *In the NBL it is "B"/Superclass/"A" pro, in Europe Superclass; in the ABA it is "A" pro. **'''In the NBL it is "A" pro/All Pro/"AA" Pro/Elite men ; in Europe Elite Men; in the ABA it is "AA" pro.
Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertisements at the time in question. When possible exact dates are given.
Amateur/Junior Men
GT Bicycles /Chevy: January 1994 -October 2001. De Wilde would turn pro with this sponsor.
Professional/Elite Men
GT Bicycles/Chevy: January 1994-October 2001
Giant Bicycles: Late December 2001- De Wilde's public debut on the new Giant team was the 2001 NBL Christmas Classic national on December 27, 2001.
Staats Bicycles/Troy Lee Designs/Maxxis: January 2004-June 27, 2006. De Wilde says in his blog he left Staats the Tuesday before the NBL Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania nationals.
Troy Lee Designs/Maxxis July 1, 2006 – October 3, 2006. Troy Lee Designs and Maxxis were his primary sponsors between Staats and Redline.
Redline Bicycles/Troy Lee Designs/Maxxis: October 3, 2006–Present. De Wilde is under contract with Redline Bicycles through 2008 and will race the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China sponsored by Redline.
Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in italics. "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Series and one off Championships are also listed in block.
Amateur/Junior Men
1990,'92,'93,'94,'95,'98 Dutch National champion.
Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie Nederlandse Fietscross Federatie National Bicycle League
*Note: Beginning in 1991 the IBMXF and FIAC, the amateur cycling arm of the UCI, had been holding joint World Championship events as a transitional phase in merging which began in earnest in 1993. Beginning with the 1996 season the IBMXF and FIAC completed the merger and both ceased to exist as independent entities being integrated into the UCI. Beginning with the 1996 World Championships held in Brighton, England the UCI would officially hold and sanction BMX World Championships and with it inherited all precedents, records, streaks, etc. from both the IBMXF and FIAC. International Olympic Committee Independent Invitationals and Pro Series Championships
Doesn't comb or at least mat down his hair after he removes his helmet, resulting in a phenomenon called "helmet/hat hair" in which the hair on a person's head becomes either severely tussled or conversely molded into the shape of the headwear after wearing that headwear for an extended period of time. De Wilde's habit of not attending to hair care after removing his helmet and it being severely tussled as a result led to his moniker of "Afro Bob", a reference to the "Afro" style of "hairdo" that was popular with people of African descent, particularly during the 1970s.
Miscellaneous
Post BMX career
BMX press magazine interviews and articles
"Robert de Wilde" Transworld BMXApril 2003 Vol.10 Iss.4 No.78 pg.70
BMX magazine covers
Note: Only magazines that were in publication at the time of the racer's career are listed unless specifically noted. Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
None
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
None
BMX Plus!: Total BMX:
None
Bicycles and Dirt:
None
Snap BMX Magazine & Transworld BMX: Moto Mag:
None
BMX World:
August/September 2006 Vol.1 Iss.5 ahead of Kyle Bennett Jerrett Kolich and Greg Romero
Bicycles Today & BMX Today : ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer :
