Who was Koarle?
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Karel Van Wijnendaele for the cycling sport in Flanders. In 1912, he published the first copy of the Sportwereld sports newspaper and one year later, he created the Tour of Flanders. Cycling was very important for him. He was a journalist, a radio commentator, a mentor, a manager, a confessor, he organized cycle races, he was the president of the Belgian organization of cycling sport, he was national coach etc.
Karel van Wijnendaele was born on Novemter, 16th, 1882 as Karel Steyaert. He grew up in Wijnendale, Torhout. He had a lot of brothers and sisters and his family was very poor. Nonetheless, he started a remarkable career at the age of 14.
He dreamed about becoming a professional cyclist but he simply was not good enough. He started a totally new career as a writer. He was so passionate about his job that it was said that he taught his people how to read. In a enthusiastic baroque style, he reported on the heroic deeds of the Flemish cyclists long before the existence of the television. The man in the street loved his articles in ‘Sportwereld’ and later in the newspaper ‘Het Nieuwsblad’. He spoke the language of his people and his words came from the heart. This is what made him so popular. You can say that he was the first celebrity in Flanders.
His love for cycling was a mission. He was the front man in the battle of a bigger Flemish self-awareness. This gave meaning to the battle of the Flemish cyclists made of granite in foreign countries.
Karel Van Wijnendaele was a special man. In the 20s, he went to the cycling tracks in New York and Chicago. In the 30s and 40s, he gave the Tour of Flanders the international fame which it still has up to today and in the 50s, he had a huge influence in the cycling world and sports journalism. He died on the 21th of December 1961.
‘Koarle’ received a monument in the Ronde van Vlaanderenstraat at the top of the Kwaremont, a difficult slope in the Tour of Flanders.
