Dirk De Wolf
Encyclopedia
Dirk De Wolf is a former professional road racing cyclist
from Belgium
.
team Boule d'Or. In his first season as a professional he won a stage in Paris–Nice. In 1984 he joined the Dutch
team Kwantum Hallen-Yoko riding alongside Joop Zoetemelk
. and Adri van der Poel
. After just one season he then joined Hitachi riding alongside Roger De Vlaeminck
. In his second season with Hitachi he won Four Days of Dunkirk
. In 1989 De Wolf finished second in the Paris–Roubaix classic behind fellow Belgian, Jean-Marie Wampers
. After five seasons with Hitachi De Wolf moved to PDM in 1990 and was second in the UCI Road World Championships
. The race in Japan
went to the final lap of the nine mile course which resulted in De Wolf being beaten by Rudy Dhaenens
in a photo finish. In 1991 he then joined Tonton Tapis riding alongside Stephen Roche
. In 1991 he won the Giro dell'Appennino
, finished third in the Amstel Gold Race
and competed in his first Tour de France
. In 1992 he then joined Gatorade riding alongside Laurent Fignon
. In his first season with Gatorade he won Liège–Bastogne–Liège. After two seasons with Gatorade he then joined the French
team Novemail, retiring at the end of the 1994 season.
He participated in the Tour de France
five times, however his best overall finish was a disappointing 66th as his talents were better suited to one-day classics than to long stage races
1983
1985
1986
1987
1989
1990
1991
1992
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Cycling career
In 1982 at the age of 23 De Wolf won the Sealink International and finished 8th at the World Road Championships. The following season he turned professional for the BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
team Boule d'Or. In his first season as a professional he won a stage in Paris–Nice. In 1984 he joined the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
team Kwantum Hallen-Yoko riding alongside Joop Zoetemelk
Joop Zoetemelk
Hendrik Gerardus Jozef "Joop" Zoetemelk is a retired professional racing cyclist from the Netherlands who has emigrated to France. He started the Tour de France 16 times and finished every time, a record. He won the race in 1980 and also came eighth, fifth, fourth and second...
. and Adri van der Poel
Adri van der Poel
Adrie van der Poel is a retired Dutch cyclist. The Grand Prix Adri van der Poel is named after him. Van der Poel was a professional from 1981 to 2000. His biggest wins included 6 classics, two stages of the Tour de France and the World Cyclo-Cross Championships in 1996...
. After just one season he then joined Hitachi riding alongside Roger De Vlaeminck
Roger De Vlaeminck
Roger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...
. In his second season with Hitachi he won Four Days of Dunkirk
Four Days of Dunkirk
The Four Days of Dunkirk is road bicycle race around the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Confusingly, since the addition of an individual time trial in 1963, the race has usually been held over a 5 or 6 day period. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe...
. In 1989 De Wolf finished second in the Paris–Roubaix classic behind fellow Belgian, Jean-Marie Wampers
Jean-Marie Wampers
Jean-Marie Wampers is a former professional road racing cyclist from Belgium. He was a professional between 1981 and 1992, achieving his greatest triumph when he won Paris–Roubaix in 1989.- Major achievements :198419851986...
. After five seasons with Hitachi De Wolf moved to PDM in 1990 and was second in the UCI Road World Championships
UCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
. The race in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
went to the final lap of the nine mile course which resulted in De Wolf being beaten by Rudy Dhaenens
Rudy Dhaenens
Rudy Dhaenens was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who is most famous for winning the World Cycling Championships in 1990 as a member of the Belgian national team....
in a photo finish. In 1991 he then joined Tonton Tapis riding alongside Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship...
. In 1991 he won the Giro dell'Appennino
Giro dell'Appennino
The Giro dell'Appennino is a semi classic European bicycle race held in the Apennine Mountains, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
, finished third in the Amstel Gold Race
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
and competed in his first Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. In 1992 he then joined Gatorade riding alongside Laurent Fignon
Laurent Fignon
Laurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de France in 1983 and in 1984. He missed winning it a third time, in 1989, by 8 seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the tour. He also won the Giro d'Italia in 1989, after having been the runner-up in 1984,...
. In his first season with Gatorade he won Liège–Bastogne–Liège. After two seasons with Gatorade he then joined the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
team Novemail, retiring at the end of the 1994 season.
He participated in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
five times, however his best overall finish was a disappointing 66th as his talents were better suited to one-day classics than to long stage races
Palmarès
1982- 1st Overall, Sealink International
- 1st, Seraing - Aachen - Seraing
- 4th, Paris–Roubaix (Amateur)
- 8th, World Road Championships (Amateur)
1983
- 1st, Stage 6, Paris–Nice
1985
- 1st, Strombeek-Bever
1986
- 1st Overall, Four Days of DunkirkFour Days of DunkirkThe Four Days of Dunkirk is road bicycle race around the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Confusingly, since the addition of an individual time trial in 1963, the race has usually been held over a 5 or 6 day period. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe...
- 1st Stage 1, Four Days of DunkirkFour Days of DunkirkThe Four Days of Dunkirk is road bicycle race around the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Confusingly, since the addition of an individual time trial in 1963, the race has usually been held over a 5 or 6 day period. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe...
- 1st Stage 1, Four Days of Dunkirk
1987
- 1st, Wommelgem
1989
- 1st, Dwars door VlaanderenDwars door VlaanderenDwars door Vlaanderen is a Flanders Classics road bicycle race. Traditionally, it is the start of the Flemish cycling week, with Gent–Wevelgem , the Three Days of De Panne and the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Dwars door Vlaanderen has always been contested on a Wednesday, a week and a half before the...
- 2nd, Paris–Roubaix
- 1st, Moorsele
- 1st, Rummen
1990
- 1st, Druivenkoers OverijseDruivenkoers OverijseDruivenkoers Overijse is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in August in Overijse, Belgium. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
- 2nd
UCI Road World Championships - 1st, Purnode
- 1st, Sadirac
- 1st, Liedekerkse Pijl
1991
- 1st, Giro dell'AppenninoGiro dell'AppenninoThe Giro dell'Appennino is a semi classic European bicycle race held in the Apennine Mountains, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
- 1st, Stage 6, Tirreno–Adriatico
- 3rd, Amstel Gold RaceAmstel Gold RaceThe Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
- 7th, UCI Road World Championships
1992
- 1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- 1st, Stage 1a, Three Days of De PanneThree Days of De PanneThe Three Days of De Panne is a mid-week, three-day stage race before the Ronde van Vlaanderen in De Panne in West Flanders, Belgium. It is rated 2.HC by the UCI and is part of the UCI Europe Tour.- Winners :...
- 1st, Aalst