Dirk De Wolf Explained

Dirk De Wolf
Birth Date:1961 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Aalst, Belgium
Currentteam:Retired
Role:Rider
Proyears1:1983
Proteam1:Boule d'Or
Proyears2:1984
Proteam2:Kwantum Hallen-Yoko
Proyears3:1985 - 1989
Proteam3:Hitachi
Proyears4:1990
Proteam4:PDM
Proyears5:1991
Proteam5:Tonton Tapis
Proyears6:1992 - 1993
Proteam6:Gatorade
Proyears7:1994
Majorwins:Liège–Bastogne–Liège (1992)
Show-Medals:yes

Dirk De Wolf (born 16 January 1961 in Aalst, East Flanders) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Belgium.

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 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.[1] In 1991 he then joined Tonton Tapis riding alongside Stephen Roche. In 1991 he won the Giro dell'Appennino and finished third in the Amstel Gold Race. 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[2] as his talents were better suited to one-day classics than to long stage races[3]

Major results

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 Dunkirk
  • 1st Stage 1, Four Days of Dunkirk
    1987
  • 1st, Wommelgem
    1989
  • 1st, Dwars door Vlaanderen
  • 2nd, Paris–Roubaix
  • 1st, Moorsele
  • 1st, Rummen
    1990
  • 1st, Druivenkoers Overijse
  • 2nd UCI Road World Championships
  • 1st, Purnode
  • 1st, Sadirac
  • 1st, Liedekerkse Pijl
    1991
  • 1st, Giro dell'Appennino
  • 1st, Stage 6, Tirreno–Adriatico
  • 3rd, Amstel Gold Race
  • 7th, UCI Road World Championships
    1992
  • 1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
  • 1st, Stage 1a, Three Days of De Panne
  • 1st, Aalst

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. News: 1990 WRR . Los Angeles Times. 3 September 1990.
    2. Web site: Tour de France .
    3. News: NY Times . The New York Times . Samuel . Abt . 2 July 1992.