At the 1960 Roma Olympics the 100 km team time trial began the 1960 Olympic cycling program. Although it started at 09.00, the day was hot, with temperatures reaching 34° C. (93° F.). Therefore the teams had to fight hard and the East German team consisting of Gustav-Adolf Schur, Egon Adler, Erich Hagen, and Lörke lost Lörke early in the race. Nevertheless the team won the silver medal behind Italy. The race was overshadowed by the death of Knud Enemark Jensen from Denmark, today widely seen as one of the first drug misuse deaths caused by doping substances.
In 1958 Lörke won the team title at the national championships. One year later he participated in the Friedensfahrt (Peace Race), finishing 18th. He trained turner and later became a hydraulics engineer.
Germany
East Germany