Ferdinand Kübler
Ferdinand " Ferdy " Kübler ( born July 24, 1919 in Mart Halen ) is a retired Swiss cyclist and the first Swiss Tour de France winner. He lives in Birmensdorf in Zurich.
Cycling career
With his characteristic battle- stressed driving style Kübler was one of the most successful cyclists of Switzerland. He began his career as a professional racing driver in 1940 and won the 1942 Tour de Suisse, his first major race. But only with age he has been improved such that he had to be counted at that world elite. Kübler's greatest success is the overall victory in the Tour de France in 1950, when he was already 31 years old.
In 1951 he was World Champion Street. He won four times in a row (1948-1951), the Swiss road Radmeisterschaften. His biggest Swiss rival at that time was Hugo Koblet.
Kübler - besides Koblet - the only Swiss who was able to win the Tour de France. Until 2009, when Fabian Cancellara overtook him, he was also the Swiss, which the maillot jaune of the leaders most often - on twelve stages - wore.
Ferdy Kübler, who is also called " Ferdy National ", finished in 1957 his cycling career. He then worked in sports marketing. He is the oldest living Tour de France winner. In 1983 he was elected as the most popular Swiss sportsman of the last 50 years.
At the Tour de France 1955 Kuebler said to have been drugged. He ran zigzag during the ascent of Mont Ventoux and cried after the end of the race around. The commissioners found at room controls doping substances and syringes. In later interviews, however, Kübler denied ever having doped.
Other successes Kübler
- Street World Champion 1951.
- Winner of the Tour de Suisse in 1942, 1948, 1951
- Winner of the Tour de Romandie 1948, 1951
- Winner of the green jersey in the Tour de France 1954 ( 2nd place )
- 5 Tour de France stage wins (3 x 1950, 2 x 1954)
Awards
Ferdy Kübler in 1983 was elected to the Swiss Sportsman of the Century, as well as the Popular athletes in the last 50 years. In 2003 he was awarded the Credit Suisse Speedwell. In 2010 he received the lifetime award of the Swiss Television for Lifetime Achievement.