Of the “Boy from Krefeld” shaped professional cycling in Germany in the 1960s together with Rudi Altig, Karl-Heinz Kunde and Rolf Wolfshohl. From this quartet only the 83-year-old Wolfshohl is still alive.
1960 Fourth in the Tour de France
In his professional career, which lasted almost two decades, Junkermann twice won the Tour de Suisse (1959 and 1962), as well as the then immensely renowned championship in Zurich (1957) and around the Henninger Turm (1963). He finished in the top ten four times in the Tour de France and was fourth in 1960.
When Junkermann was on course for victory in the 1962 tour, fish poisoning slowed him down. After his active career, Junkermann became an excellent youth coach. Among others, Erik Zabel, Rolf Aldag and Udo Bölts found their way into professional cycling through him. Junkermann regularly rode long distances on his racing bike well into old age, and it was only two years before his death that his health deteriorated.
Source: sid