Gilbert Desmet

Gilbert Desmet (2 February 1931 – 30 June 2024), nicknamed Smetje van Lichtervelde, was a Belgian cyclist who was professional from 1952 to 1967. In the 1956 Tour de France, he wore the yellow jersey for two days, and in the 1963 Tour de France he wore it for nine days. Desmet won 101 professional races, including Paris–Tours, La Flèche Wallonne and Four Days of Dunkirk. His best result in the Tour de France was his 4th place in 1962. He finished second in the 1959 Paris–Roubaix. In total, Desmet won 101 professional races.

Throughout his career, he was often confused with Gilbert De Smet, another Belgian cyclist with a similar name.

Desmet died on 30 June 2024, at the age of 93.

Major results



 * 1951
 * 2nd Kattekoers


 * 1954
 * 1st GP Stad Zottegem
 * 8th Omloop Het Volk


 * 1955
 * 1st Textielprijs Vichte


 * 1956
 * Tour de France
 * Held after Stages 3–4a
 * 1st Overall Drielandentrofee
 * 1st Stage 1
 * 1st Omloop van Oost-Vlaanderen
 * 2nd Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
 * 2nd Vijfbergenomloop


 * 1957
 * 1st Omloop van het Houtland
 * 2nd Overall Driedaagse van Antwerpen
 * 6th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne


 * 1958
 * 1st Paris–Tours
 * 1st Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
 * 1st Omloop van het Houtland
 * 1st Stage 7 Vuelta a España
 * 2nd Grand Prix Jules Lowie
 * 3rd GP Lugano


 * 1959
 * 1st Vijfbergenomloop
 * 2nd Paris–Roubaix
 * 3rd Tour of Flanders
 * 3rd Overall Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana
 * 5th La Flèche Wallonne
 * 8th Gent–Wevelgem
 * 8th Overall Giro di Sardegna
 * 9th Liège–Bastogne–Liège


 * 1960
 * 1st Overall Menton–Genoa–Rome
 * 1st Stage 1
 * 1st Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
 * 1st Grand Prix Jules Lowie
 * 1st Stage 3 Paris–Nice
 * 2nd GP Lugano
 * 4th Tour of Flanders
 * 5th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
 * 7th Paris–Roubaix


 * 1961
 * 1st Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
 * 1st Stage 1 Giro di Sardegna
 * 2nd Paris–Tours
 * 2nd Paris–Brussels
 * 2nd Grand Prix des Nations
 * 3rd Trofeo Matteotti
 * 7th Gent–Wevelgem
 * 10th Paris–Roubaix


 * 1962
 * 1st De Kustpijl
 * 1st Omloop der drie Provinciën
 * 4th Overall Tour de France
 * 4th Overall Tour de Suisse
 * 1st Stage 5


 * 1963
 * Tour de France
 * Held after Stages 6–16
 * 6th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
 * 7th Grand Prix des Nations
 * 9th Milan–San Remo


 * 1964
 * 1st Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
 * 1st La Flèche Wallonne
 * 1st Stage 2 Tour de Luxembourg
 * 3rd Overall Tour of Belgium
 * 5th Paris–Brussels
 * 6th Brabantse Pijl
 * 8th Overall Tour de France
 * 9th Tour of Flanders
 * 9th Paris–Roubaix


 * 1965
 * 1st Omloop van het Houtland
 * 1st Stage 2b Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
 * 2nd Overall Tour of Belgium
 * 8th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
 * 9th La Flèche Wallonne


 * 1966
 * 2nd Omloop van het Houtland


 * 1967
 * 8th Overall Paris–Nice


 * 1968
 * 1st Ronde van Oost-Vlaanderen