Wilfried Wesemael

Wilfried Wesemael was a Belgian professional racing cyclist, born in Aalst in 1950, who won the 1979 Tour de Suisse and also competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. As a child he turned to cycling because a weak ankle made him a poor runner, and as an amateur he excelled on the track, winning national titles in the team pursuit, the individual pursuit, the Madison and the omnium. That earned him a place in the Belgian Olympic team, where he finished 12th in the team pursuit and 18th in the individual pursuit. He turned professional on the road in 1973 and rode for a succession of teams, including TI Raleigh from 1978 to 1981, usually as a domestique. His victories included Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in 1974 and the opening stage of the 1975 Vuelta a Espana, and his 1979 Tour de Suisse win was his greatest achievement. He crashed out of the 1979 Tour de France on the third stage with injuries to his ankle, leg and back, and never fully recovered. After retiring in 1982 he ran a chip shop called WilFrit in Gijzegem and later in Aalst. He died in Lebbeke on 2 September 2026, aged 76.