How to Wear a Cycling Cap: Rolf Golz

Rolf Golz, aka Turbo, shows how to wear one while winning la Flèche Wallonne in 1988.

Take a step back, though, to 1987. That was a good year for Golz, a year during which he claimed eight victories including the Vuelta a Andalucia (for the second time), the Tour du Haut Var, Zuri-Metzgete, a stage of the Tour de France, and numerous wins on the track. But 1988 was an even better year. 1988 saw him up his win tally to nine including the Tour of Ireland, Vuelta a Asturias, Flèche Wallonne, another stage of the Tour de France, Paris-Brussels, Milan-Torino, and the Giro del Piemonte. Other wins, before and after those two big years included the World Amateur Track Team Pursuit (1983), Silver and Bonze medals in Individual and Team Pursuits at the Los Angeles Olympic Games (1984), the German National Road Race Championship (1985), a second win at Milan-Tornio in 1989, the Trofeo Baracchi (1990), and the Tour Mediterraneen (1992) to cap his career.

Golz recalls his first race: As a twelve year old who had just taken his smallpox vaccination he was not allowed to enter a short race, organized by the local cycling club, along the dirt road between Bad Schussenried and Otterswang, then back. Determined to have a go at it, he snuck off from home, entered and won.

After retirement from racing, Golz has remained closely connected to the bicycle, as a television race commentator, sport director of Team Gerolsteiner and, most recently, as bike shop owner in Bad Waldsee.