Originally Posted by
Cyclopast
Yes! This race was something important back in time. A lot of well know cyclist did it like Fignon per example.
In that time there still was the separation of amateurs vs. pros. All the communist Soviet block riders couldn't be called Pro for political reasons, in western countries it was a bit like a second league for prospects. It was important because Olympia was restricted to amateur riders until 92.
The Friedensfahrt was considered to be the "Tour de France for amateurs" and a win there was certainly a big deal. If you were eastern block, it bought you neverending fame and a comfortable government-provided life, if you were western, pro team managers would take notice.