Alfons ("Fons") De Wolf (born 22 June 1956 in
Willebroek) is a retired
Belgian road race cyclist, a professional from 1979 to 1990. He represented his country at the
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Montreal 1976 (), were an international multi-sport event held from July 17 to August 1, 1976, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Montreal ...
in
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, Canada.
He was forecast, with
Daniel Willems, to be the successor to
Eddy Merckx
Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (born 17 June 1945), known as Eddy Merckx (, ), is a Belgian former professional road and track cyclist racer who is the most successful rider in the history of competitive cycling. His victories include an ...
. De Wolf seemed to fulfill that promise by having an absolutely dominant
1979 Vuelta a España winning 5 stages including an individual time trial as well as the Points Classification, securing a top 10 place in the General Classification and then following it up by winning the 1980
Giro di Lombardia
The Giro di Lombardia (), officially ''Il Lombardia'', is a cycling race in Lombardy, Italy. It is traditionally the last of the five 'Cycling monument, Monuments' of the season, considered to be one of the most prestigious one-day events in cycli ...
and the 1981
Milan–San Remo
Milan–Sanremo (in italian language, Italian ''Milano-Sanremo''), also called "''The Spring classic''" or "''La Classicissima''", is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race between Milan and Sanremo, in Northwest Italy. With a distance ...
, the last and first classic of the season. He almost won the 1982
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège , also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Cycling monument, Monuments'' of the Eur ...
, but he finally lost it to the Italian
Silvano Contini in the final sprint due to a shifting error.
After winning a stage in the 1984
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
, his career faded, however the stage win he claimed was an impressive individual effort in which he was able to beat the group of favorites including
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault (; born 14 November 1954) is a French former professional road bicycle racing, road cyclist. With 147 professional victories, including five times the Tour de France, he is often named among the greatest cyclists of all time. In ...
and eventual winner
Laurent Fignon
Laurent Patrick Fignon (; 12 August 1960 – 31 August 2010) was a French professional road bicycle racer who won the Tour de France in 1983 and 1984, as well as the Giro d'Italia in 1989. He held the title of FICP World No. 1 in 1989. Fignon came ...
by a stunning margin of almost eighteen minutes.
He helped his teammate
Eddy Planckaert
Eddy Planckaert (born 22 September 1958) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist. In 1988, Planckaert enjoyed perhaps his best year by capturing the green jersey (points competition) at the 1988 Tour de France a ...
win the
green jersey in the
1988 Tour de France. He ended his career in 1990.
He now helps his wife in her funeral parlour in
Dworp, in the south of
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
.
Although he won the
Omloop Het Volk two times, De Wolf was an atypical Flemish cyclist, preferring Italian races such as Milan–San Remo to
Paris–Roubaix
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the 'Cycling monument, Monuments' ...
,
Gent–Wevelgem
Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...
and the
Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders () may refer to the following cycle races:
* Tour of Flanders (men's race)
The Tour of Flanders (), also known as ''De Ronde'' (''"The Tour"''), is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race held in Belgium every spri ...
. He was at ease in hilly races, though he was not an impressive climber.
He complained that he was seen as a 'new Eddy Merckx', that the public had expected too much.
Major results
;1976
: 1st Overall
Tour de Namur
: 3rd
Ronde van Vlaanderen Beloften
: 4th
Road race,
Summer Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, then part of the King ...
;1977
: 1st
Kattekoers
: 3rd
Ronde van Vlaanderen Beloften
;1978
: 1st
Paris–Roubaix Espoirs
: 1st
Road race, National Amateur Road Championships
: 2nd Overall
GP Tell
: 2nd
Circuit de Wallonie
Circuit de Wallonie is a cycling race held annually in Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherla ...
: 2nd
Flèche Ardennaise
: 2nd
Kattekoers
;1979
: 1st Omloop Schelde-Durme
: 2nd
Trofeo Baracchi (with
Jan van Houwelingen)
: 2nd Leeuwse Pijl
: 3rd Overall
Tour of Belgium
: 3rd
Scheldeprijs
: 4th Overall
Three Days of Bruges–De Panne
: 5th
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne (, French for "The Walloon Arrow") is a men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium. It is part of the UCI World Tour.
The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is ...
: 7th
Brabantse Pijl
: 8th
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège , also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Cycling monument, Monuments'' of the Eur ...
: 9th Overall
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; ) is an annual stage race, multi-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Ital ...
::1st
Points classification
::1st Stages 2, 7, 9, 16b & 19
: 9th Overall
Tirreno–Adriatico
: 9th
Paris–Roubaix
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the 'Cycling monument, Monuments' ...
;1980
: 1st
Druivenkoers Overijse
: 1st
Giro di Lombardia
The Giro di Lombardia (), officially ''Il Lombardia'', is a cycling race in Lombardy, Italy. It is traditionally the last of the five 'Cycling monument, Monuments' of the season, considered to be one of the most prestigious one-day events in cycli ...
: 1st
Trofeo Baracchi (with
Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke)
: 2nd Overall
Tirreno–Adriatico
: 2nd
Amstel Gold Race
: 2nd
Gent–Wevelgem
Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...
: 2nd
Circuit des Frontières
: 3rd
Rund um den Henninger Turm
: 3rd Overall
Vuelta a Mallorca
The Challenge Vuelta Ciclista a Mallorca (, ) is a series of four (five until 2012) professional one day road bicycle races held on the Spanish island of Mallorca in late January or early February. The event is used as an early season preparato ...
: 4th
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège , also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Cycling monument, Monuments'' of the Eur ...
: 4th
GP de Fourmies
: 5th Overall
Giro di Sardegna
: 6th
Paris–Roubaix
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the 'Cycling monument, Monuments' ...
: 6th
Grand Prix des Nations
: 6th
Züri-Metzgete
Züri-Metzgete (Zürich German; ; ) was a European Classic cycle races, Classic cycle race held annually in Zürich, Switzerland, and continued as a non-professional mass participation event from 2007 until 2014. It was a race with a long history ...
: 7th
Omloop Het Volk
: 8th
Paris–Brussels
The Brussels Cycling Classic (known until June 2013 as Paris–Brussels) is a semi classic European bicycle race, one of the oldest races on the international calendar.
History
Paris–Brussels was first run on 12 August 1893 as an amateur eve ...
: 10th
Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders () may refer to the following cycle races:
* Tour of Flanders (men's race)
The Tour of Flanders (), also known as ''De Ronde'' (''"The Tour"''), is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race held in Belgium every spri ...
: 10th
Milan–San Remo
Milan–Sanremo (in italian language, Italian ''Milano-Sanremo''), also called "''The Spring classic''" or "''La Classicissima''", is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race between Milan and Sanremo, in Northwest Italy. With a distance ...
;1981
: 1st
Six Days of Antwerp (with
René Pijnen)
: 1st
Milan–San Remo
Milan–Sanremo (in italian language, Italian ''Milano-Sanremo''), also called "''The Spring classic''" or "''La Classicissima''", is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race between Milan and Sanremo, in Northwest Italy. With a distance ...
: 1st
Circuit des Frontières
: 1st Polder–Kempen
: 1st Stage 4
Tour of Belgium
: 1st Stage 6
Tour de Suisse
: 2nd
GP Eddy Merckx
: 3rd Overall
Paris–Nice
Paris–Nice is a professional road bicycle racing, cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the ...
: 3rd
Gent–Wevelgem
Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...
: 3rd
Amstel Gold Race
: 3rd
E3 Harelbeke
: 5th Overall
Deutschland Tour
: 5th
Züri-Metzgete
Züri-Metzgete (Zürich German; ; ) was a European Classic cycle races, Classic cycle race held annually in Zürich, Switzerland, and continued as a non-professional mass participation event from 2007 until 2014. It was a race with a long history ...
: 6th
Brabantse Pijl
: 7th
Road race,
UCI World Championships
: 7th
Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders () may refer to the following cycle races:
* Tour of Flanders (men's race)
The Tour of Flanders (), also known as ''De Ronde'' (''"The Tour"''), is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race held in Belgium every spri ...
: 9th
Grand Prix des Nations
: 10th
Paris–Roubaix
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the 'Cycling monument, Monuments' ...
;1982
: 1st
Omloop Het Volk
: 1st Sassari–Cagliari
: 1st Stage 1a
Three Days of Bruges–De Panne
: 2nd
Grote Prijs Jef Scherens
: 2nd
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège , also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Cycling monument, Monuments'' of the Eur ...
: 3rd
Gent–Wevelgem
Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...
: 3rd
Road race, National Road Championships
: 3rd
Ronde van Limburg
: 4th
Rund um den Henninger Turm
: 8th Overall
Four Days of Dunkirk
The Four Days of Dunkirk () is road bicycle race around the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Despite the name of the race, since the addition of an individual time trial in 1963, the race has been held over a 5 or 6 day period for ...
::1st Stage 5a
: 10th
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne (, French for "The Walloon Arrow") is a men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium. It is part of the UCI World Tour.
The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is ...
;1983
: 1st
Omloop Het Volk
: 1st
Coppa Ugo Agostoni
: 1st
Giro della Romagna
: 1st
Giro di Toscana
: 1st Stage 2
Giro del Trentino
: 1st Stage 1
Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
The Catalan Cycling Week (''Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme'' in Catalan language, Catalan) was a stage race, multi-stage road bicycle race held in Catalonia, Spain. Held annually from 1963 until 2005, it was run as a 2.HC race on the UCI Europe Tour ...
: 5th Overall
Giro di Sardegna
: 8th
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège , also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Cycling monument, Monuments'' of the Eur ...
: 9th
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne (, French for "The Walloon Arrow") is a men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium. It is part of the UCI World Tour.
The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is ...
;1984
: 1st Stage 14
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
: 1st Stage 6
Tour of Norway
: 1st Stage 1
Tour de Romandie
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs through the Romandie region, or French-speaking part of Switzerland. The competition began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling. It ...
: 1st Stage 3
Vuelta a Andalucía
: 9th
GP Eddy Merckx
;1985
: 1st Stage 9
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; ) is an annual stage race, multi-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Ital ...
: 1st Stage 2
Vuelta Ciclista a la Comunidad Valenciana
;1986
: 6th
Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders () may refer to the following cycle races:
* Tour of Flanders (men's race)
The Tour of Flanders (), also known as ''De Ronde'' (''"The Tour"''), is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race held in Belgium every spri ...
: 9th
De Brabantse Pijl
;1988
: 2nd
Dwars door België
: 7th
Gent–Wevelgem
Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road bicycle racing, road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic cycle races, classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late ...
;1989
: 3rd
Road race, National Road Championships
;1990
: 7th
Nokere Koerse
Nokere Koerse is a European semi classic single day cycle race held in the Belgian region of Flanders.
The Nokere Koerse was created in 1944, initially as the ''Grand Prix Jules Lowie'' in honour of 1938 Paris–Nice winner Jules Lowie who ...
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
References
External links
*
Official Tour de France results for Alfons De Wolf
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Wolf, Alfons
1956 births
Living people
Belgian male cyclists
Belgian Tour de France stage winners
Cyclists at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Olympic cyclists for Belgium
Belgian Vuelta a España stage winners
Funeral directors
Sportspeople from Willebroek
Tour de Suisse stage winners
Cyclists from Antwerp Province
20th-century Belgian sportsmen