The trophies - 39
ITEM N° 409
WAUTERS Marc (B)
(23.02.1969)
His trophy for winning the 4th time trial stage of the 1999 Tour de Luxembourg
Marc Wauters is a former Belgian cyclist who turned professional in 1991 and retired in 2006. An excellent all-rounder and a particularly valued team-mate, he excelled in time trials as well as in the classics and stage races.
His list of victories includes, notably, Paris–Tours and the 1999 Tour de Luxembourg. He also won a stage of the 2001 Tour de France in Antwerp, wore the yellow jersey for one day and was crowned Belgian time trial champion on three occasions.
On 12 June 1999, riding for the Rabobank team, Marc Wauters competed in the fourth stage of the Tour de Luxembourg, a 7.6-kilometre individual time trial between Leudelange and Bettembourg. He set the fastest time of 7 minutes and 57 seconds, beating the American Dylan Casey by one second and Christian Vande Velde by three seconds. This victory enabled him to consolidate his position as race leader. The following day, he won the general classification of the Tour de Luxembourg ahead of the Norwegian Steffen Kjærgaard and the German Tobias Steinhauser.
The item on display is the trophy awarded for his victory in the Leudelange–Bettembourg time trial. It takes the form of an imposing silver-coloured metal cup, comprising a wide, flared bowl and two tall, finely crafted handles. The cup rests on a stem comprising several rounded sections, attached to a cubic plinth of red- and white-veined marble. The original plaque mentions the Tour de Luxembourg, the stage victory, the Leudelange–Bettembourg route and the date 12 June 1999.
The photograph on the right shows Marc Wauters holding this very cup alongside Noël Grégoire. It constitutes a valuable document of provenance and establishes a direct link between the champion, his trophy and the collection in which it is now preserved.
Featured in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy perpetuates the memory of a decisive victory and bears witness to Marc Wauters’ remarkable qualities as a road racer.
ITEM N° 336
WEGMÜLLER Thomas (CH)
(28.09.1960)
His trophy for winning the sprint classification at the 1987 Tour of Aragon
Born on 28 September 1960 in Bern, Thomas Wegmüller is a former Swiss cyclist who turned professional between 1987 and 1993. A powerful, resilient and attacking rider, he particularly excelled in the classics and time trials.
His list of honours includes, notably, the 1987 Grand Prix de Lugano, the 1989 Grand Prix de Wallonie and the 1990 Grand Prix des Nations. He became Swiss road champion in 1992 and finished second in the Tour of Flanders that same year. Thomas Wegmüller is also renowned for his second-place finish in the 1988 Paris–Roubaix. After a long breakaway with the Belgian Dirk Demol, he battled for victory at the Roubaix velodrome and achieved one of the greatest feats of his career.
In 1987, during his first professional season riding for the Spanish team KAS, the Swiss rider took part in the Tour of Aragon. Regularly at the front of the pack, he accumulated enough points in the intermediate sprints to win the special sprint classification.
The item on display is the trophy awarded for this victory in the sprint classification. It takes the form of a silver-coloured metal cup featuring two angular, slightly hammered handles, the upper ends of which curve inwards. The bowl rests on a short stem adorned with a gilded decorative element. The whole is mounted on an imposing black, multi-tiered plinth, giving the trophy a massive and solemn appearance. The original plaque, in the green and white colours of the San Miguel brand, bears the inscriptions ‘Premio Sprint – Vuelta Ciclista a Aragón – 1987’. It confirms the race, the year and the exact nature of the award. The Spanish brewery was likely the sponsor of the sprint classification.
Featured in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy bears witness to Thomas Wegmüller’s attacking style and preserves the memory of one of his earliest successes as a professional.
ITEM N° 338
WIJNANDS Ad (NL)
(10.03.1959)
His trophy for winning the 5th stage of the 1992 Catalan Week
Born on 10 March 1959 in Maastricht, Ad Wijnands is a former Dutch professional cyclist who competed from 1980 to 1993. Fast, resilient and versatile, he excelled in the classics, stage races and sprint finishes.
His 1981 season was one of the most successful of his career. He won the Tour of Belgium, the E3 Grand Prix, the Scheldt Grand Prix and two stages of the Tour de France. He also won the Étoile de Bessèges in 1991 and enjoyed several successes on the track alongside René Pijnen.
In 1992, riding for the TVM–Sanyo team, Ad Wijnands took part in the Catalan Week. He won the fifth stage, contested between Calafell and Lloret de Mar. This victory, achieved at the age of thirty-three, underlines his longevity and his qualities as a finisher.
The item on display is the trophy awarded for this stage victory. It takes the form of a tall metal cup with two richly ornate handles. The dark, polished bowl is topped by a conical lid crowned with a decorative flame-shaped emblem. A circular medallion adorns the lid, whilst the handles, featuring plant motifs, harmoniously frame the cup. The slender stem features a dark central element surrounded by several decorative metal rings. The whole rests on a black, multi-tiered plinth. The original plaque affixed to the plinth refers to the 1992 Catalan Week and the victory achieved on the Calafell–Lloret de Mar stage, confirming the object’s provenance.
The photograph on the left shows Ad Wijnands wearing the TVM team jersey, holding a cup during an official ceremony. It depicts the champion during the period to which the trophy on display belongs.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy commemorates a victory achieved at the end of the career of a fast, consistent and particularly combative Dutch rider.
