| Born | January 26, 1887 in Aulnay-sur-Iton, France |
| Died | May 9, 1915 in Carency, France (killed in action during World War I) |
| Nationality | Luxembourgish |
| Sport | Road bicycle racing |
| Professional career | 1906-1914 |
| Teams | Peugeot (1906-1914) |
| Major wins | Tour de France (1909), Paris-Roubaix (1913), Milan-San Remo (1909), Bordeaux-Paris (1909) |
Born in Aulnay-sur-Ton, France on January 26, 1887, Francois Faber was a Luxembourgian road bicycle racer. In 1906, he began his professional cycling career with the Peugeot team and became one of the best cyclists in the world almost immediately.
Faber is most well-known for his triumph in the 1909 Tour de France, which he won by over two hours. This victory made him the first non-Frenchman to win the Tour de France, as well as the first cyclist to win a stage of the race in the Pyrenees Mountains. In addition to the Tour de France, Faber won Milan-San Remo, Bordeaux-Paris, and Paris-Roubaix in 1909, 1913, and 1912, respectively.
Faber was known for his aggressive riding style and was frequently referred to as “Le Diable Rouge” (the Red Devil) because of the color of his Peugeot team jersey and his ferocious competitiveness. He was also one of the first bikers to employ a derailleur, a technology that enabled more effective gear shifting.
During World War I, Faber’s life was tragically cut short on May 9, 1915, when he was killed in action during the Battle of Carency. For his devotion to his nation, he was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre.
The greatest accomplishments of Francois Faber:
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1909 | Tour de France winner |
| 1909 | Milan-San Remo winner |
| 1909 | Bordeaux-Paris winner |
| 1913 | Paris-Roubaix winner |
| 1909 | Stage win in Tour de France (Pyrenees) |
| 1910 | Paris-Brussels winner |
| 1911 | Paris-Lille winner |
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