Thaddäus "Thaddy" Robl (22 October 1877 – 18 June 1910) was a German professional cyclist who was active between 1894 and 1910, initially in road racing, later predominantly in motor-paced racing. From 1895 to 1898 he obtained several podium finishes in long-distance road races, the most emblematic of which is his 3rd place in the 1898 Bordeaux - Paris.
In motor-paced racing he won five European titles (1901–1904, 1907) and the world championships in 1901 and 1902, he finished in third place in 1903.
After retiring from cycling he became passionate with flying the early planes. In a flight demonstration on 18 June 1910 in Szczecin (then German Empire) he fell from a height of about 75 meters. This was the first death of a civil pilot on the German ground. In 1947, a street in Munich was named after him.
Palmares
1895 3rd, Wien - Salzburg 3rd, Triest - Graz - Wien 3rd, Straßburg - Basel - Straßburg 5th, Rund um Mitteldeutschland 1896 2nd, German Motor-paced Championship, Hamburg 1898 2nd, Bol d'Or - Paris 3rd, Bordeaux - Paris 1900 2nd, Bol d'Or - Paris 1901 1st, Motor-paced World Championship, Friedenau 1st, Motor-paced European Championship, Leipzig
1902 1st, Motor-paced European Championship, Leipzig 1st, Motor-paced World Championship, Friedenau
1903 2nd, Motor-paced World Championship, Ordrup 1st, Motor-paced European Championship, Leipzig
1904 1st, Motor-paced European Championship, Leipzig
1905 2nd, Motor-paced European Championship, Leipzig
1906 3rd, Motor-paced European Championship, Dresden
1907 1st, German Motor-paced Championship, Breslau 1st, Motor-paced European Championship, Hannover
1908 1st, German Motor-paced Championship, Dresden
1909 3rd, Motor-paced European Championship, Berlin
See also
Achille Germain
References Thaddäus (Thaddy) Robl. radsportseiten.net Track Cycling World Championships 2012 to 1893. bikecult.com Martin Schreck Thaddäus Robl und die Radrennbahn Milbertshofen. kulturvergnuegen.de