François Faber facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
François Faber

Faber in 1913
Personal information
Full name	François Faber
Nickname	Le géant de Colombes (The Giant of Colombes)
Born	(1887-01-26)26 January 1887 Aulnay-sur-Iton, France
Died	9 May 1915(1915-05-09) (aged 28) Carency, France
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	88 kg (194 lb)
Team information
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France General classification (1909) 19 individual stages (1908-1911, 1913, 1914) One-day races and Classics Paris–Brussels (1909) Sedan–Brussels (1909) Bordeaux–Paris (1911) Paris–Roubaix (1913) Paris–Tours (1909, 1910) Giro di Lombardia (1908)

François Faber (born January 26, 1887 – died May 9, 1915) was a famous Luxembourgian racing cyclist. Even though he was born in France, he had Luxembourg nationality.

He made history by being the first non-French rider to win the Tour de France in 1909. He also set a record by winning five stages in a row, which is still unbroken today. Sadly, he died fighting for France in World War I. Faber was known for riding alone for long distances. He is the only rider in Tour de France history to lead solo for more than 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles).

About François Faber

François Faber's father, Jean-François, was from Wiltz, Luxembourg. This is why François had Luxembourg nationality. His mother, Marie-Paule, was from Lorraine, France. Even though he had a Luxembourg passport, François lived in France and felt French. He also had a half-brother named Ernest Paul, who was also a cyclist.

Before becoming a professional cyclist, Faber worked hard. He moved furniture and worked as a docker (someone who loads and unloads ships).

Faber's Racing Career

François Faber was a professional cyclist from 1906 to 1914. During this time, he won 27 races. He was a big guy, standing 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) tall and weighing 91 kg (201 lb). Because of his size and where he lived in Paris, people called him The Giant of Colombes.

He rode for different cycling teams:

• Labor (1906-1907)
• Peugeot (1908, 1913-1914)
• Alcyon (1909-1911)
• Automoto (1912)

Early Tour de France Races

Faber first rode the Tour de France in 1906 but did not finish. The next year, he finished seventh. In 1908, he was part of the strong Peugeot team. He came in second place overall and won four stages (individual race days).

Winning the 1909 Tour de France

Faber was amazing in the 1909 Tour de France. He won five stages in a row, which is still a record! This Tour was known for having the worst weather ever. For six days (July 7 to 13), it rained, snowed, and the roads were muddy and bumpy. Fifty riders quit the race because of the terrible conditions.

But the worse the weather got, the better Faber rode. On the second day, he rode alone for 200 kilometers (about 124 miles). He won the 398-kilometer (about 247 miles) stage from Roubaix to Metz.

The third day started at just three degrees above freezing. The weather got even worse. Faber rode ahead again, going over the Col du Ballon d'Alsace mountain. He led alone for 110 kilometers (about 68 miles). He finished covered in mud, and his closest rival was 33 minutes behind him!

The weather kept getting worse. The next stage started at 2 AM and went to Lyon. About 3,000 people came to watch Faber start, and 20,000 people watched him finish. He won again after riding the last 62 kilometers (about 38 miles) alone. The roads were full of potholes, and water was knee-high. He even got blown off his bike twice by strong winds while climbing a mountain. His bike chain broke near Lyon, and he ran the last kilometer to the finish line, pushing his bike.

He won all five stages from Metz to Nice by himself. In the last of these stages, he attacked his rival, Gustave Garrigou, when Garrigou had a flat tire.

After the race, an official asked Faber what he would do next. Faber said he was going fishing and would not be seen again until the end of the season.

Lucien Petit-Breton, another famous cyclist, praised Faber. He said Faber was much better than anyone expected. He remembered Faber starting in 1906, riding carefully and staying with the best riders. Faber used to stop at bars to eat sandwiches and wait for other riders because he didn't like being alone. Petit-Breton knew Faber had great potential.

Later Tours and Other Wins

In the 1910 Tour, Faber was leading the race. But in Stage 7, he crashed into a dog near the Pyrenees mountains and got badly hurt. Even though he won that stage, the injury cost him the Tour. His teammate, Octave Lapize, then won the race. Faber tried to catch up on the last stage but had many flat tires.

Faber continued to race in the Tour de France with some success. However, like many cyclists of his time, his career was cut short when World War I began.

Overall, Faber won 19 Tour de France stages. He also won other important races like Paris–Brussels, Bordeaux–Paris, Sedan-Brussels, Paris–Tours (twice), Paris–Roubaix, and the Giro di Lombardia.

Faber's Death in World War I

When World War I started, François Faber joined the French Foreign Legion. He became a corporal. On May 9, 1915, during the Second Battle of Artois near Arras, he received exciting news: his wife had given birth to their daughter.

One story says that he cheered, jumped out of his trench, and was killed by a German bullet. Another, more widely believed story, says he was shot while carrying an injured friend back from the battlefield. His army unit lost many soldiers in that battle. Faber was later given the Médaille militaire, a military medal, for his bravery.

Remembering François Faber

A small race in Luxembourg, called the GP François Faber, is named after him.

There is a special plaque in his memory at the church of Notre Dame de Lorette. This church is in the French national war cemetery near Arras.

On March 28, 2015, a new plaque was put up in Mont-Saint-Éloi, close to where he died. Faber's grandson, Jacques Pallut, and the town's mayor, Jean-Pierre Bavière, unveiled it.

Career achievements

Major results

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

See also

In Spanish: François Faber para niños

• List of unusual deaths