24 Facts About Rudi Altig

Rudi Altig was a German professional track and road racing cyclist who won the 1962 Vuelta a Espana and the world championship in 1966.

Rudi Altig was born in Mannheim, Baden, Germany, an area which had produced good track riders.

Rudi Altig began racing in 1952, following his older brother, Willi.

The British promoter, Jim Wallace, booked Altig to ride with Hans Jaroszewicz at a meeting on Herne Hill velodrome in Good Friday in 1956.

Rudi Altig won the 1959 national pursuit championship and won the madison championship with his brother.

Rudi Altig was allowed by the Union Cycliste Internationale to turn professional in 1960 within a year of his world championship.

Rudi Altig rode his first professional six-day, in Denmark, that winter.

Rudi Altig brought back the biggest winter racing boom to Germany for many years, reminiscent of the balmy pre-war days.

Rudi Altig won the world pursuit championship in 1960 and 1961 and won 62 races on the track.

Rudi Altig won 22 six-day races, particularly in Germany, including four in Cologne and Dortmund.

Rudi Altig never rode the Giro di Lombardia because it clashed with the start of the winter season on the track.

Rudi Altig started his professional career as a track rider; it was Raphael Geminiani who persuaded him his future was on the road.

Rudi Altig agreed because fame on the road would give him better contracts on the track.

Rudi Altig won the Vuelta a Espana and three of its stages in 1962.

Rudi Altig led the general classification for five days in his first Tour de France that same season, winning three stages and the points competition, and finishing 31st.

Rudi Altig was quite happy about this for I am sure he thought he could put it across me.

Rudi Altig took three stages in that year's Tour, finishing 12th place overall, and two more in the Giro d'Italia, in which he came 13th.

Rudi Altig took two stages of that year's Vuelta, finishing 18th overall.

Rudi Altig rode his first Tour as a domestique and as team sprinter for Jacques Anquetil.

Rudi Altig was at the front when I started the check - and he was still there a minute later.

Rudi Altig was riding at 30mph at the front - and had been doing so for 15 minutes.

Rudi Altig was helped away with staring eyes and with blood streaming from a cut to his head.

Rudi Altig became directeur sportif of the Puch-Wolber team when he stopped racing and worked for five years as national coach.

Rudi Altig died on 11 June 2016 in Remagen, Germany, as a result of cancer.