In his neo-professional year, Daems was also included in the Belgian selection for the World Championship on the Sachsenring, Germany.

But because Daems had won a criterium at the Sachsenring a few years earlier, he was the only Belgian to refuse to do work for team leader Rik Van Looy (who eventually became world champion).

Although he was mainly a classics rider, he managed to join the leading group on the col de l'Izoard (last climb of the day), twenty seconds behind Federico Bahamontes.

He finally won in Briançon in a sprint of seven riders, ahead of Bahamontes, Jacques Anquetil, Raymond Poulidor and the yellow jersey Joseph Planckaert.

[4] After a short career of six years, aged 28, Daems quit racing and opened a restaurant.