1939 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

The 1939 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Milan, Italy from 26 August to 3 September 1939.[1] Two events for men were contested, one for professionals and one for amateurs.[2]

1939 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
VenueMilan, Italy Italy
Date(s) (1939-08-26 - 1939-09-03)26 August - 3 September 1939
VelodromeVelodromo Vigorelli
Events2

Due to political events, France withdrew from the competition.[3]

During the competition, the Second World War broke out, which explains why only the amateur individual sprint tournament went ahead to its conclusion. Among the professionals, the sprint final between Belgian Jef Scherens and Arie van Vliet of the Netherlands could not take place and was cancelled. In addition, the individual pursuit, which was to be held officially for the first time (the previous year it had been a demonstration sport), also had to be cancelled.[4]

The race for the bronze medal in the professional category was won by Germany's Albert Richter. About three months later, he was arrested by the Gestapo and killed in Lörrach. Third place in the amateur category went to Berlin's Gerhard Purann, who died in mysterious circumstances as a soldier during the war.

Medal summary

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Event Gold Silver Bronze
Men's Professional Events
Men's sprint
details
Not awarded Not awarded Albert Richter
  Germany
Men's Amateur Events
Men's sprint
details
Jan Derksen
  Netherlands
Italo Astolfi
  Italy
Gerhard Purann
  Germany

Medal table

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RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Netherlands (NED)1001
2  Italy (ITA)0101
3  Germany (GER)0022
Totals (3 entries)1124

See also

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References

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  1. ^ World Championship Track Cycling 2014-1893
  2. ^ "Le Figaro : journal non politique". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). 26 August 1939.
  3. ^ "Le Miroir". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). 5 September 1939.
  4. ^ "Le Miroir des sports : publication hebdomadaire illustrée". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). 29 August 1939.