Erich Metze

Erich Metze ( born May 7, 1909 in Dortmund, † May 28, 1952 in Erfurt, Germany ) was a German cyclist.

Erich Metze began his career as a street driver. In 1931, he won the Tour of Germany and in the same year eight of the Tour de France. He felt, however, drawn to the track cycling and celebrated his greatest successes as a stayer. In this discipline, he was in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1939 German Champion and 1934 and 1938 World Champion.

His career was overshadowed by serious falls (two fractures of the skull, which he barely survived ), which forced him to repeatedly pause for long periods. Even during the Second World War he suffered as a soldier in serious injury.

After the third serious crash (again a skull fracture ) on the cement path in the Erfurt Andreasried was all medical effort in vain. Erich Metze died on 28 May 1952 in a hospital in Erfurt.