Dirk de Wolf - Cycling Career

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. 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

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