Cycling Legend Ferdy Kuebler Dies at 97

Cycling legend Ferdy Kuebler has died at age 97, ESPN reports.

The Swiss athlete, who won the Tour de France in 1950, died Thursday at a Zurich hospital after suffering from a cold. Kuebler’s death was confirmed by Andre Haefliger, the chief reporter at Swiss magazine Schweizer Illustrierte, on behalf of Kuebler’s widow, Christina.

In addition to the Tour de France, Kuebler also won the Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege races in both 1951 and 1952, as well as the 1953 Bordeaux-to-Paris.

Keubler always knew he wanted to be a professional cyclist, but was drafted in World War II early on in his career. He later began his first Tour at age 28, and retired at 38 and worked as a ski instructor for 25 years.

Switzerland’s national cycling association, Swiss Cycling, paid tribute to the athlete on its website.

“We are taking leave of one of the greatest cycling legends of our time,” it wrote.

Originally posted on Womanista.com.

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