Originally Posted by
3speedslow
Interesting, I believe it was [MENTION=173992]non-fixie[/MENTION] that has said the Belgians were some of the earliest users of the Japanese components.
That may well be. Walter Godefroot, the 'Bulldog of Flanders', gave Shimano their first professional win ever by winning the fifth stage of the 1973 Ruta del Sol on a Dura Ace-equiped Flandria.