| content | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Hugo Koblet |
| Date of birth | March 21, 1925 |
| Date of death | November 6, 1964 (aged 39) |
| Country |  Switzerland |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Major wins | |
| 1950 Giro d'Italia 1951 Tour de France |
|
| Infobox last updated on: | |
| May 24, 2008 | |
Hugo Koblet (March 21, 1925 – November 6, 1964) was a Swiss champion cyclist.
Born in Zürich, Switzerland, his professional cycling career began in 1946. He made his name on the track as a pursuiter, winning the Swiss championship every year from 1947 to 1954. In 1947 he finished third in the world pursuit championship, and took second in 1951 and 1954. He was given the nickname "Pédaleur de Charme" in 1951 by Jacques Grello a writer for Parisien Libéré.
After winning the 1950 Swiss road championship, Koblet gained became the first non-Italian to win the Giro d'Italia. In 1951 he defeated Fausto Coppi to win the "Grand Prix des Nations," an individual time trial considered the unofficial world championship. The most important victory came that year at the Tour de France, during which he captured five stages and won the overall title.
Hugo Koblet was a handsome man whose fame brought beautiful women and a lifestyle that affected his career. Although he competed with success, including two second-place finishes at the Giro d'Italia, he never regained the level achieved in 1951-52 and retired in 1958.
Six years after his retirement, Koblet died at 39 in a car crash, with speculation that his death may have been a suicide. Witnesses saw Koblet driving his white Alfa Romeo at speed between Zürich and Esslingen. Weather and road conditions were ideal, but the vehicle reportedly drove into a tree without any attempt to avert the crash.
Major Road Racing Records
- 1947
Switzerland national track pursuit champion- 1948
- Switzerland national track pursuit champion
- Six days of Chicago (with Walter Diggelmann)
- 1949
- Switzerland national track pursuit champion
- Six days of New York (with Walter Diggelmann)
- 1950
- Switzerland national track pursuit champion
- Giro d'Italia:
Winner overall classification
Winner mountains classification- Winner stages 6 and 8
- Tour de Suisse
- 1951
- Switzerland national track pursuit champion
- Critérium des As
- Tour de France:
Winner overall classification- Winner stages 7, 11, 14, 16 and 22
- Grand Prix des Nations
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stage 19
- 6th place overall classification
- 1952
- Switzerland national track pursuit champion
- 1st Züri-Metzgete
- Giro d'Italia:
- 8th place overall classification
- 1953
- Switzerland national track pursuit champion
- Tour de Suisse
- Tour de Romandie
- Giro d'Italia:
- 2nd place overall classification
- Winner stage 7B
- 1954
- Züri-Metzgete
- Giro d'Italia:
- 2nd place overall classification
- Winner stages 15 and 21
- 1955
- Tour de Suisse
1st Swiss Road Race Championship- Giro d'Italia:
- 10th place overall classification
- Winner stage 21
- 1956
- Vuelta a España:
- Winner stage 9
External links
- Hugo Koblet profile at the Cycling Website
- Official Tour de France results for Hugo Koblet
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Armin Scheurer |
Swiss Sportsman of the Year 1951 |
Succeeded by Josef Stalder |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by Ferdinand Kübler |
Winner of the Tour de France 1951 |
Succeeded by Fausto Coppi |
| Preceded by Fausto Coppi |
Winner of the Giro d'Italia 1950 |
Succeeded by Fiorenzo Magni |
