Fritz Funke (cyclist)

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Fritz Funke (born December 24, 1907 in Chemnitz , † May 9, 1977 in Siegburg ) was a German cyclist who was active before and after the Second World War . After the war he did cycling in the GDR .

Athletic career

Funke drove his first bike races at the age of 17. In 1930 he joined the RC Wanderfalke in Dresden and switched to RC Wanderer Chemnitz in 1933 . With his team of six, Funke won the German championship on the road in the team time trial and on the track in the team pursuit in the same year . In 1933 he also won races across Germany and Saxony. In the following year he signed a contract as a professional rider with the German cycling team Presto and competed in numerous professional races at home and abroad. From 1936, Funke appeared in major international competitions such as the Tour de France , Tour de Suisse or the Tour of Germany . While he had to retire from the Tour de France in 1936 after the eighth stage, he achieved 21st place in the Tour de Suisse in 1937 as the best German. In the 1937 Tour of Germany, he came in twelfth place. From 1937 Funke drove for the German Diamant team . During the Tour of Germany in 1938, he retired prematurely.

The Second World War interrupted his career, which he could only continue again in 1948. In Chemnitz he was one of the first active people to bring cycling back to life. Until 1949 he continued to drive numerous races as a professional driver both on the road and on the track. After professional sport was discredited in the GDR, Funke was reamateurised and became a member of the company sports community (BSG) Wismut Dwigatel Chemnitz . In 1951 he won the cycling classic Rund um die Hainleite and took part as the oldest rider in the GDR tour , in which he came 16th as the best of the Wismut team. The greatest success of the 1952 season was winning the GDR championship in the team time trial with the BSG Wismut. As a 45-year-old, he was able to repeat this success again in 1953. In the same year Funke drove his last tour of the GDR, which he completed in 19th place.

literature

  • Cycling week, issue 8/53: Fritz Funke - 46 years old

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Funke, Fritz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German cyclist
DATE OF BIRTH December 24, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH Chemnitz
DATE OF DEATH May 9, 1977
Place of death Siegburg