Can Cancellara Really be a Flandrien? Ethno-Cultural Identity Representation Predicts Regional Exclusivity of a Historically Contested Cycling Term

In Flanders the term 'flandrien' refers to cyclists who display a strong work ethic, great perseverance, are powerful and who perform best in adverse weather conditions. Until the 1960s, only leading cyclists originating from the province of West- and East-Flanders were considered as 'flandriens'. After 1960, the media extended the use of this term to Belgian cyclists in general and even to international cyclists. The present study examined whether Flemish citizens agree with this generalization considering that the term 'flandrien' still plays a highly symbolical role in the public discourse... Mehr ...