Swiss Cycling Legends: The Heroes of the Mountains
From Ferdi Kübler and Hugo Koblet to Fabian Cancellara and current stars, discover the fascinating stories of Swiss cycling legends who conquered the world's toughest races and left an indelible mark on cycling history.
Switzerland has produced an outsized number of cycling greats for a small country, riders whose names are still spoken with reverence in the peloton.
Ferdi Kübler and Hugo Koblet
The post-war golden era belonged to two very different champions. Ferdi Kubler, the fiery "Pedaler of the Nation", won the 1950 Tour de France and the 1951 World Championship. The elegant Hugo Koblet, the "Pedaller of Charm", won the 1950 Giro d'Italia and the 1951 Tour de France with a style that captivated fans across Europe.
Fabian Cancellara
Modern Swiss cycling is defined by Fabian Cancellara, "Spartacus", one of the greatest time triallists and Classics riders of all time. With multiple wins at Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, a clutch of World Time Trial titles and Olympic gold, he carried Swiss cycling into the 21st century.
A New Generation
Riders like Marc Hirschi and Stefan Kung continue the tradition, competing for stage wins, monuments and time-trial honours on the world stage.
Ride in Their Wheel Tracks
Many of these champions trained on the same Alpine passes you can ride today. Discover the climbs in our guide to legendary Swiss Alpine passes, or plan your own week in the mountains with our one-week Switzerland tour.
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