Nicolas Frantz

Nicolas Frantz (November 4, 1899 - November 8, 1985), born in Mamer, Luxembourg, was a bicycle racer with 60 professional racing victories over his 12-year career (1923 to 1934). He rode for the Thomann team in 1923 and then for Alcyon-Dunlop from 1924 to 1931.

Nicolas Frantz was the son of a prosperous farming family. Frantz could have taken over the farm but had no interest in it. In 1914 he rode his first race. He won. That convinced him that farming was not for him. He was close to unbeatable in Luxembourg until the start of the first world war.

Frantz, a well-built man weighing 80 kg, turned professional in 1923. He had immediate success, winning Paris-Lyon and the GP Faber. His advantage in stage races was his consistent health and fitness. He rode the Tour de France for the first time in 1924, won two stages and finished second. In 1925 and 1926 he won four stages and finished fourth and second respectively.

Frantz then dominated the race for two successive years. He won three stages in 1927 and won overall. He wore the yellow jersey from the first to last day in 1928, the only rider since Ottavio Bottecchia to have done so.(Bottechia however didn't wear the yellow jersey during the first stage in 1924). In that race, the frame of his bicycle broke during the 19th stage with 100km remaining. He borrowed an undersized, women’s bicycle, exchanging it for another Alcyon bicycle, which he rode to victory in Paris. After that he faded. He came fifth in 1929 but in 1932 finished 45th.

Frantz won Paris-Brussels in 1927 and Paris-Tours in 1929. He twice finished in the first three of the world championship. He also won the championship of Luxembourg for 12 consecutive years (1923-1934. After racing, he became directeur sportif of the Luxembourg and Luxembourg Mixed teams in the Tour de France from 1949 to 1957. He was the first national team manager of Charly Gaul in the Tour de France. Frantz was succeeded by Jean Goldschmit.

Frantz was a taciturn man. He retired to the village of Mamer and died there in 1985.

Major achievements