Piet Rooijakkers

Piet Rooijakkers (born August 16, 1980 in Gerwen, North Brabant) is a road bicycle racer from the Netherlands. He retired after the 2010 season after his previous team Skil–Shimano did not offer him a contract extension.

Biography

After Rooijakkers finished his Bachelor-degree in Business in 2002, he decided to find a part-time job so he would have enough time for cycling. In 2003, he joined the cycling institute "Lowik Meubelen-Tegeltoko". He started the Olympia's Tour in that same year, but fell in the fifth stage and could not race for the remainder of the season.

He returned for the 2004 season and won the criterium of Lieshout and finished third in the Dutch National Road Race for cyclists without contract ('vrije renners'). He delivered a very strong performance in the Sterelektrotour, which got him the interest of the AXA Pro-Cycling team, who, in 2005, signed him as a semi-professional. In that same year Rooijakkers won four races. In October 2005, Piet signed with Skil–Moser for 2006.

Rooijakkers started in the 2009 Tour de France, where he fell during the 4th stage (a team time trial). He broke his arm and had to retire from the race.