Paul Popp

Austrian cyclist Paul Popp participated at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. As a road cyclist he could not finish the race in 1984, but as a track cyclist he placed 21st in the 1,000 metres time trial in 1988, and in the points race was eliminated in the first round.

In 1981, Popp became one of only three Austrians to win the prestigious Dusika Youth Tour. In 1984, he became Austrian National Time Trial Champion, and two years later was the national road race champion. In 1985, Popp had two stage wins in the Lower Saxony Tour.

Popp also won several stages of the Tour of Austria. In 1986, he took the sprint jersey, won the Lower Austria Tour, and finished fifth at the World Road Championships in Colorado Springs. Between 1987-89, he successfully participated in the professional Giro d’Italia. In 1990, he was runner-up in the Austrian road race championship. In total, Popp won 13 national titles in either the 1000-metres time trial, omnium, team pursuit, or two-man team race.

Popp’s brothers Reinhard, Helmut, and Martin also were professional cyclists. Paul Popp later became a manager of the Elk Haus professional cycling team. By profession, he was a sales representative for prefabricated houses.