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Ferdy Kübler Photo Gallery

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Ferdy Kübler

Ferdy [Ferdinand] Kübler (July 24, 1919 - December 29, 2016), along with fellow Swiss racing great Hugo Koblet, dominated European racing in the early 1950s.

Tour de France: the Inside Story

Unlike the tempered, measured Koblet, Kübler's racing was emotionally charged, earning him the nickname "Mr. 100,000 Volts".

Kübler turned pro in 1940, but because of the war, raced only in Switzerland. His growth as a Grand Tour racer took time. He won the first stage of the Tour de France in 1947 and then went on to win the fifth stage before being elimnated when the Tour hit the Alps.

The next year Kübler won the Tour of Romandie and Switzerland and the Swiss Road Championship. His time trialing ability was made clear with a second place in the Grand Prix des Nations, at that time the unofficial world championship of time trialing.

In 1949 he won the Tour of Switzerland in grand style, winning four stages and placing second in three. He abandoned the 1949 Tour de France on the 18th stage after winning the fifth stage and placing second in stage seven.

In 1950, both Kübler and Koblet hit their stride, Koblet became the first non-Italian to win the Giro d'Italia with Kübler coming in fourth. Kübler was chosen to lead the team Switzerland sent to the Tour de France. Because of a broken pelvis from a fall in the Giro, Fausto Coppi could not ride the 1950 Tour.

Kübler rode a great Tour, winning three stages and beating Belgian rider Stan Ockers by more than nine minutes.

Kübler came in second in the 1954 Tour behind Louison Bobet, but did win the points classification.

His last big win was the 1956 Milano-Torino. He retired in 1957.

Major victories & high placings:

1940: Swiss pusuit champion

1941: Swiss pursuit champion

1942: Tour de Suisse

1943: Swiss pursuit champion

1945: Swiss cyclo-cross champion

1947:

1948:

1949:

1950:

1951:

1952:

1954:

1956: Milan-Turin

Professional Teams:

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, because companies usually had only regional distribution of their products, riders could ride for different teams in different parts of Europe.

1945-47: Cilo
1948-57: Tebag
1948-49: Peugeot-Dunlop
1949: Bartali
1949-52: Frejus-Pirelli
1952-55: Fiorelli
1953-55: La Perle-Hutchinson
1956: Carpano-Coppi

Nicknames: The Eagle of Adliswil, Mr. 100,000 Volts, The Cowboy

Photos:

Ferdy Kubler

A photo of Kübler just after the war.

Ferdy Kubler

Kübler climbs in the 16th stage of the 1949 Tour de France. Gino Bartali won the stage. Kübler finished 11th, more than 15 minutes behind Bartali.

Ferdy Kubler

This is Ferdy Kübler racing perhaps in Italy sometime between 1949 and 1952.

Ferdy Kubler

This is surely another picture of Kübler in the same race.

Ferdy Kubler

And yet another of Ferdy on his Frejus bike.

Ferdy Kuvbler

Ferdy Kübler leading a group in the 12th stage of the 1950 Tour de France.

Ferdy Kübler

Kübler and loyal domestique Emilio Croci Torti repair a flat in the rain. Tour rules for bike repairs were different then.

Ferdy kubler

Kübler on the cover of the August 8 issue of Mirroir Sprint. This should be Kübler riding the 20th stage of the 1950 Tour, which was a 98-kilometer individual time trail. Kübler won the stage, beating second -place Stan Ockers by more than five minutes.

FGerdy Kubler

Ferdy Kübler wins the professional world road championships in Varese, Italy in 1951.

Ferdi Kübler

Kübler in 1951 wearing the rainbow jersey of the World Road Champion.

Ferdy Kubler

World Champion Ferdy Kübler

Ferdy Kubler

Kübler goes deep in the 1954 Paris-Roubaix

Louison Bobet and Ferdy Kubler

Ferdy Kübler and Louison Bobet ascend Mt. Ventoux in the 1954 Tour de France.

Ferdy Kubler and Louison Bobet

Undated photo Of Kübler and three-time Tour de France winner Louison Bobet. Bobet is wearing a jersey with Tour founder Henri Desgrange's initial, so this is the Tour and I'm guessing that Bobet is wearing the Yellow Jersey. 1954, when Kübler was second to Bobet in the Tour?

Ferdy Kübler

Kübler in 1954 wearing a Swiss National Team jersey.

Ferdy Kübler

Perhaps the most famous photo of Kübler. I think it's from the 1950 Tour de france.

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