The races took place on the Klingenring, a hilly 15-kilometre circuit near Solingen. It was the first time after World War II that the world championships were held in Germany. Rain and cold made the races extra tough.
Among the amateurs, Belgian Emiel Van Cauter won the title by a wide margin after a solo effort.[3][4]
Frenchman Louison Bobet won the world professional title. Bobet had already won the Tour de France that same year. It was only the second time a rider had managed this double. His compatriot Georges Speicher did it in 1933.[5]