Paul Wellens (cyclist)

Paul Wellens
Personal information
Full name	Paul Wellens
Born	27 June 1952 (age 72); Hasselt, Belgium
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Professional teams
1976	Miko–de Gribaldy
1977	Frisol–Thirion–Gazelle
1978–1980	TI–Raleigh
1981	Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo
1982	Wickes–Bouwmarkt–Splendor
1983	Eorotex–Magniflex
1984	Ariostea
1985	Tönissteiner–TW Rock–BASF
1986	Miko–Carlos
Major wins
	Tour de France, 2 individual stages and 5 TTT stages; Tour de Suisse (1978)

Paul Wellens (born 27 June 1952 in Hasselt) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer.

Cycling career

In 1978, he won the combativity award in the Tour de France. He won two individual tour stages during his career: in 1977 he won stage 15a to Morzine in a solo breakaway, leading alone over the summit of the Col du Corbier and crossing the finish line with a three-minute lead over the peloton, and the following year he won the stage to Super Besse. He was also part of the TI–Raleigh squads which took a team time trial win in the 1978 Tour, two further TTT victories the next year and another two in the 1980 edition of the race.^[2]^[1] In addition he took two top ten finishes on the Tour's general classification, placing sixth in 1978 and eighth as TI–Raleigh's leader in 1979. He also won the 1978 Tour de Suisse. He is the brother of fellow racing cyclists Leo and Johan Wellens and the uncle of cyclist Tim Wellens. At the 1981 Tour de France, he and his brothers all rode for the Sunair–Sport 80–Colnago team as domestiques for Freddy Maertens.^[2]

1977

Orchies

Winner stage 15A

1978

Kamerik

Winner stages 4 (TTT) & 13

6th place overall classification

1979

Beringen

Koersel

Winner stages 4 (TTT) & 8 (TTT)

8th place overall classification

1980

Tour de France:

Winner stages 1b (TTT) & 7a (TTT)

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Paul Wellens at Cycling Archives (archived)
^ ^a ^b Tagtik (11 June 2021). "Paul Wellens: de renner die Freddy Mercury inspireerde" [Paul Wellens: the rider who inspired Freddy Mercury]. proximus.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2022.

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