Full name Karl-Heinz Kunde Role Cyclist Name Karl-Heinz Kunde | Discipline Track and road Current team Retired Weight 50 kg | |
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Karl-Heinz Kunde (born January 6, 1938 in Cologne) is a German former racing cyclist.
Kunde started his cycling career in 1959 as amateur. In 1962 he became professional. His biggest success was in the 1966 Tour de France, where he wore the yellow jersey for five days. This was even more special considering he received hardly any support from his team mates.
Kunde started 5 times in the Tour de France, but only finished two times, in 1964, 1965 and 1966. Because he was relatively small (1.59 m or 5 ft 3 in, and 50 kg or 110 lb), Kunde was nicknamed Bergfloh and Karl, der Kurze (Karl the short). The French reporters named him Le petit Kunde, and his concurrent Jacques Anquetil named him Mikrobe. Kunde was also a Cyclo-cross-cyclist. In 1973 Kunde ended his cycling career, and started a bicycle shop in Köln.