The moment of truth in Paris-Roubaix 1988, as Thomas Wegmuller of Switzerland (leading) and the Belgian Dirk De Mol ride clear of the rest on the Carrefour de l’Arbre cobbles.
De Mol had been in one move or another since the 40-kilometre mark, so the finish would see him in the wind for 222 of the 262 kilometres. Everyone thought Wegmuller would win, but he didn’t.
The finish was different. The famous Roubaix Velodrome was being refurbished, so the race finished nearer the centre of town on the avenue des Nations-Unies.
It’s fair to say Wegmuller was the strongest, he was a second-year pro and had already won some good races, whereas Demol had been a pro for several years, and although he had some high placings he hadn’t won anything big. However, in a weird stroke of fate a plastic bag got entangled in Wegmuller’s bike and he couldn’t really sprint. De Mol won quite easily.
It’s tempting to say Demol was lucky, but being away for 220 kilometres on the roads to Roubaix is no mean feat, and Demol had been up there in several tough Belgian races. He also finished second in the 1980 under 23 Paris-Roubaix.
He raced for the Belgian team AD Renting in 1988, a set up that always seemed short of money but big on talent. In 1988 and ’89 the team punched way above its weight.
The week before this victory Eddy Planckaert won the Tour of Flanders for AD Renting and would go on to take the Tour de France green jersey. The team then gave a home to Greg LeMond, when he was struggling to find form again after the shooting accident that laid him low 2 years before. The enterprising Belgians couldn’t pay what LeMond wanted for 1989 but offered generous win bonuses.
He delivered, winning the Tour de France and road race world title that year, giving AD Renting huge publicity but an even bigger problem; they couldn’t pay, or at least we believe they couldn’t pay the full amount.
Anyway, that’s history. LeMond’s triumphant return brought him a massive contract with the French company Z, and after a few more years racing Demol became a successful DS. He works with Team Flanders-Baloise now.
Read more about the history of Paris Roubaix and it's winners in our latest book, Cycling Legends 04: Flandriens - cult heroes of the cobbles. Find out more here
