Dirk De Wolf

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Dirk De Wolf

| image = Aankomst Dirk De Wolf, Dwars door België 1989, Waregem, Maurice Terryn (collectie KOERS. Museum van de Wielersport).jpg

| caption = De Wolf winning the 1989 Dwars door België

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|1|16}}

| birth_place = Aalst, Belgium

| currentteam = Retired

| discipline =

| role = Rider

| ridertype =

| amateuryears1 =

| amateurteam1 =

| 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

| proteam7 = {{UCI team code|NOV|1993}}

| majorwins = Liège–Bastogne–Liège (1992)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{BEL}} }}

| show-medals = yes

}}

Dirk De Wolf (born 16 January 1961) 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-03-sp-1483-story.html |title=1990 WRR |access-date= | work=Los Angeles Times| date=3 September 1990}} 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{{cite web|url=http://histo.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/coureur/4779.html|title=Tour de France |access-date=}} as his talents were better suited to one-day classics than to long stage races{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/02/sports/02iht-bike.html?pagewanted=1 |title=NY Times |access-date= | work=The New York Times | first=Samuel | last=Abt | date=2 July 1992}} {{subscription required}}