The men's track time trial at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, was held on 31 August 1972.

Fredborg was just the third man to win multiple medals in the event; he would become the only one to earn a third, in 1976.

Jürgen Schütze's bronze was the first track time trial medal for East Germany as a separate nation.

Fredborg had also won the 1967, 1968, and 1970 world championships; he was the favorite to win the Olympic competition this time.

[2] The Bahamas and Iran each made their debut in the men's track time trial.