The German cycling team pursuit team consisting of Siegfried Köhler, Manfred Gieseler, Werner Malitz and Rolf Nitzsche lost its first round match against Great Britain by a wide margin at the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956. The lap scorer miscounted the laps and sounded the bell a lap too late, so no finishing sprint times could be measured. The team consisted of three East German riders, including Köhler, and Manfred Gieseler from West Germany. Four years later Köhler was a member of the mixed German pursuit team that won the silver medal in Roma, this time with Peter Gröning, Manfred Klieme and Bernd Barleben, a pure East German team. The same year Köhler claimed the bronze medal at the track Worlds in Leipzig in the single pursuit.
Köhler was one of the most successful East German riders in the 1950s and 1960s. He earned the national title in single pursuit from 1956-59, and became six-time national Madison champion. He also earned five more titles with the team pursuit and several other national merits. After his active times he became a cycling coach.
Germany
East Germany