Kübler reminiscing about his exploits in 1999
Keystone
Ferdinand "Ferdy" Kübler, the first Swiss to win the Tour de France, has died at the age of 97. He was the oldest living winner of the most famous cycling road race.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch
The cycling legend, who was named the “Swiss sportsperson of the century” in 1983, died in a Zurich hospital on Thursday. He was admitted on account of a severe cold.
Kübler entered professional cycling in 1940 but took a while to reach elite status. He won the Tour de France in 1950 at the age of 31 and the World Road Race a year later. A native of Marthalen in canton Zurich, he won the Tour de Suisse three times, in 1942, 1948 and 1951.
More
More
The life of Ferdy Kübler
This content was published on
These historic images show some of Kübler’s greatest sporting moments.
He said his greatest regret was not winning the Tour de France in 1949. He got a puncture while in the lead and had to wait 20 minutes until a rescue vehicle turned up because his own vehicle had met with an accident.
He had rivalry going on with fellow Swiss Hugo Koblet, who became the first non-Italian to win the Giro d’Italia in 1950 and went on to win the Tour de France the year after Kübler. They remain the only Swiss to have won the Tour de France.
Kübler retired from cycling in 1957. The mantle of the oldest living Tour de France winner now passes to Frenchman Roger Walkowiak, who won the race in 1956. He is 89 years old.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss reject plans for bigger motorways and extra rights for landlords
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
Switzerland mulls S status restrictions for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
Switzerland’s parliament wants in future to restrict the issuance of Ukrainian S permits to refugees fleeing parts of the war-torn country.
Solar energy covers 11% of Switzerland’s electricity needs
This content was published on
Solar power covers eleven percent of the electricity demand in Switzerland. The industry's turnover for the current year is around CHF 3.7 billion, as shown by the first ever publication of the Swiss Solar Monitor.
This content was published on
The recovery in Swiss industry is a long time coming. The managers responsible for purchasing have lowered their assessments again. By contrast, the services PMI remained in growth territory in November.
This content was published on
Switzerland is concerned about the escalation of hostilities in Syria. It calls on all parties to respect international law and protect the civilian population.
Trial opens into 1995 murder in Geneva of Egyptian diplomat
This content was published on
The Criminal Chamber of the Federal Criminal Court opened the main hearing in the case of the murder of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 on Monday.
This content was published on
Museum attendance is back on the rise in Switzerland. Nearly 15 million admissions were recorded in 2023, 12% more than the 2015-2019 average prior to the Covid crisis.
This content was published on
His world tour was an epic 122,000 kilometres long and took him through 60 countries in four continents. Starting in his hometown of Geneva in 1994, Claude first travelled through the southern republics of the former Soviet Union, across the Indian subcontinent and into China, South Korea and Japan. He then cycled across North and…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.