Elisabeth Eichholz

Elisabeth Eichholz, (born Elisabeth Kleinhans, 12 November 1939 in Wolmirstedt) is a German professional road bicycle racer, who competed for the East Germany.

Life

Elisabeth Kleinhans grew up in Loitsche. She began cycling in the autumn of 1958. She entered her first races in Magdeburg. In 1959 she won the Women's Rund um Berlin ahead of her long-time competitor Elfriede Fey.

In the run-up to the 1960 World Cycling Championships, she was sent to SC Leipzig with other top riders to compete at the World Championships. At the World Championships she won the bronze medal. In 1961, she finished in seventh place at the World Championships. She could not participate in a world championship again until 1965, because of visas. In 1961, she had become East German champion in the road race for the first time, in 1962 and 1963 she won the title in pursuit and in 1964 in the time trial on the track.

In 1963, she married the Leipzig cyclist Dieter Eichholz. In 1966 she ended her career because her son was born. She began a distance learning course to become an "educator with teaching qualification", and then worked as a trainer in a Leipzig clothing factory. She then worked as a teacher for sports and school garden in Schönebeck until 1998.