Hans Junkermann
Encyclopedia
Hennes "Hans" Junkermann (born 6 May 1934) is a retired German
professional racing cyclist who won 35 road races in 18 seasons from 1956 to 1973.
Junkermann was born in St. Tönis
, near Krefeld
, Rhine Province
. He excelled in mountainous stage races and hard one-day events. He won nine Six Day races
and the European Madison
championship in 1965. He rode the Tour de France
eight times.
Junkermann showed class as an amateur and was approached twice in 1954 to defect to the GDR and become a paid amateur but Junkermann wanted to stay in West Germany and be a professional. He turned professional in 1955 season for the small Bauer team.
In May 1957 he won Züri-Metzgete, followed by fourth in the Tour de Suisse
, the start of Junkermann’s excellent record in the Swiss tour, a hilly stage race. In 1959 he moved to Faema-Molteni under Rik van Looy
, winning the national road championship, a feat he repeated in 1960 and 1961. He won his first Tour de Suisse in 1959 after finishing second the previous year.
Defensive riding and no support from his team stopped winning the Tour de France
. He came fourth in 1960 and fifth in 1961. He abandoned in 1962, claiming his food was tampered with in Luchon.
Junkermann came second in the 1961 Tour of Germany and sixth in the Giro d'Italia
. In 1962 he switched to Wiel’s-Groene Leeuw with 1963 world champion
Benoni Beheyt
of Belgium
. Junkermann won the 1962 Tour de Suisse and came third in La Flèche Wallonne
. In 1963 he won the Rund um den Henninger Turm in Frankfurt am Main
. This was 29-year-old’s last big victory on the road although his career continued for a further ten years. His best results in latter years were 11th in the 1967 Tour de France and 7th in the 1965 Vuelta a España
. In 1964 he won six-day races at Essen
, Cologne
and Frankfurt
, riding with specialists Peter Post
and Rudi Altig
.
After retirement in 1973 Junkermann coached young riders for 25 years, firs with the RSV City Neuwied cycling team and between 1984 and 1998 with Olympia Dortmund. At Dortmund
, Junkermann brought Erik Zabel
, Udo Bolts, Rolf Aldag
, Kai Hundertmarck and Bernd Groene through the ranks to become professionals.
Junkermann lives in Krefeld and at 70 was still riding several hundred kilometres a week.
Six Day Victories
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
professional racing cyclist who won 35 road races in 18 seasons from 1956 to 1973.
Junkermann was born in St. Tönis
Tönisvorst
Tönisvorst is a town in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approx. 5 km west of Krefeld.-Historical monuments:*Das alte Rathaus, St. Tönis*Der Mertenshof, St. Tönis*Schluff , St. Tönis...
, near Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
, Rhine Province
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province , also known as Rhenish Prussia or synonymous to the Rhineland , was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822-1946. It was created from the provinces of the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
. He excelled in mountainous stage races and hard one-day events. He won nine Six Day races
Six-day racing
A six or six-day is a track cycling race that lasts six days. Six-day races started in Britain, spread to many regions of the world, were brought to their modern style in the United States and are now mainly a European event. Initially, individuals competed alone, the winner being the individual...
and the European Madison
Madison (cycling)
The madison is a team event in track cycling, named after the first Madison Square Garden in New York, and known as the "American race" in French and in Italian and Spanish as Americana.-History:...
championship in 1965. He rode the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
eight times.
Junkermann showed class as an amateur and was approached twice in 1954 to defect to the GDR and become a paid amateur but Junkermann wanted to stay in West Germany and be a professional. He turned professional in 1955 season for the small Bauer team.
In May 1957 he won Züri-Metzgete, followed by fourth in the Tour de Suisse
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
, the start of Junkermann’s excellent record in the Swiss tour, a hilly stage race. In 1959 he moved to Faema-Molteni under Rik van Looy
Rik Van Looy
Henri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...
, winning the national road championship, a feat he repeated in 1960 and 1961. He won his first Tour de Suisse in 1959 after finishing second the previous year.
Defensive riding and no support from his team stopped winning the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. He came fourth in 1960 and fifth in 1961. He abandoned in 1962, claiming his food was tampered with in Luchon.
Junkermann came second in the 1961 Tour of Germany and sixth in the Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
. In 1962 he switched to Wiel’s-Groene Leeuw with 1963 world champion
World Cycling Championship
The UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race and individual time trial...
Benoni Beheyt
Benoni Beheyt
Benoni Beheyt is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer who raced from 1962 to 1968. Beheyt won 22 races and is most famous for winning the 1963 World Cycling Championships Road Race and stage win of the 1964 Tour de France.- Major achievements :1962 – Wiel's-Groene Leeuw* 1964:...
of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Junkermann won the 1962 Tour de Suisse and came third in La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
. In 1963 he won the Rund um den Henninger Turm in Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. This was 29-year-old’s last big victory on the road although his career continued for a further ten years. His best results in latter years were 11th in the 1967 Tour de France and 7th in the 1965 Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
. In 1964 he won six-day races at Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
, Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, riding with specialists Peter Post
Peter Post
Peter Post was a Dutch professional cyclist whose career lasted from 1956 to 1972. Post competed in road and track racing. As a rider he is best remembered for Six-day racing, having competed in 155 races and won 65. Because of this success he was known as “De Keizer van de Zesdaagse” or “The...
and Rudi Altig
Rudi Altig
Rudi Altig is a former professional track and road racing cyclist who won the 1962 Vuelta a España and the world championship in 1966. He is now a television commentator.-Amateur career:...
.
After retirement in 1973 Junkermann coached young riders for 25 years, firs with the RSV City Neuwied cycling team and between 1984 and 1998 with Olympia Dortmund. At Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, Junkermann brought Erik Zabel
Erik Zabel
Erik Zabel is a former German professional road bicycle racer who last raced with Milram. With over 200 professional wins he is considered by some one of the greatest German cyclists and best cycling sprinters of history...
, Udo Bolts, Rolf Aldag
Rolf Aldag
Rolf Aldag is a former professional road bicycle racer who rode for Team Telekom from 1993 to 2005. He has raced in 10 Tour de France, 1 Giro d'Italia and 5 Vuelta a España...
, Kai Hundertmarck and Bernd Groene through the ranks to become professionals.
Junkermann lives in Krefeld and at 70 was still riding several hundred kilometres a week.
Major victories
Road- 1957: Züri-Metzgete
- 1958: Tour de SuisseTour de SuisseThe Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
(one stage) - 1959: Tour de Suisse (Overall and one stage), German RR Champion
- 1960: German RR Champion
- 1961: German RR Champion
- 1962: Tour de Suisse (Overall and two stages), Dauphiné LibéréDauphiné LibéréThe Critérium du Dauphiné is an annual cycling road race, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné region in France during the first half of June. The race was inaugurated by a local newspaper, the Dauphiné Libéré, which gave its name to the event...
(one stage): - 1963: Rund um den Henninger Turm
Six Day Victories
- 1960: CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
(with Klaus Bugdahl), DortmundDortmundDortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
(with Klaus Bugdahl), MünsterMünsterMünster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
(with Fritz Pfenninger) - 1962: BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(with Rudi AltigRudi AltigRudi Altig is a former professional track and road racing cyclist who won the 1962 Vuelta a España and the world championship in 1966. He is now a television commentator.-Amateur career:...
), Munster (with Rudi Altig) - 1963: EssenEssen- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
(with Rudi Altig) - 1964: Essen (with Rudi Altig), Frankfurt (with Rudi Altig), Cologne (with Peter Post)