Sport in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is one of the smallest sovereign states in Europe, with a total land area of only 2,586 square kilometers. But what this landlocked country lacks in size more than makes up with its love of various types of sports.
Unlike most European countries who treat football almost like a religion, football is just one of the sports they enjoy. The lion's share of the Luxembourg population enjoys a wide array of sports.
The country has had great success in cycling, with champions such as Nicolas Frantz, a two-time Tour de France champion (1927 and 1928), Charly Gaul winner of the Giri d'Italia twice (1956 and 1959) and the Tour de France in 1958, and Andy Schleck, who took out the Tour de France in 2010. Women's cycling has also had success with Road World Champion winner Elsy Jacobs.,
Luxembourg has had success at the Olympic too, having won two gold medals. Runner Michel Théato took gold in the marathon at the Paris Games in 1900, and Josy Barthel won the men's 1500 meters in the Helsinki Summer Games in 1952. Joseph Alzin won the silver in weightlifting in the Antwerp Summer Games in 1920.
Other notable athletes from Luxembourg include Sylvie Hülsemann who won the 1961 world water skiing Championship, Marc Girardelli, a five-time alpine skiing World Cup champion between 1985 and 1993, and tennis players Gilles Müller, Anne Kremer, Claudine Schaul, and Mandy Minella.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Luxembourg. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
Popular sports of Luxembourg
- football, cycling, tennis
Luxembourg Sporting Success
- Andy Schleck won the 2010 Tour de France
Great athletes from Luxembourg
- Jeff Strasser (football)
- David Fiegen (track and field)
- Andy Schleck (cycling)
- Frank Schleck (cycling)
- Charly Gaul (cycling)
- Gilles Muller (tennis)
- Marc Girardelli (alpine skiing)
Luxembourg Sports trivia
- Luxembourg is the only country which has participated in every qualifying competition, but has never qualified for any finals.
- Andy Schleck was awarded the 2010 Tour de France in 2012, after the initial winner Alberto Contador was stripped of his title due to drug use.
- Luxembourg was the point of departure of the Tour de France in 1989 and in 2002
Luxembourg at major events
- Luxembourg at the Summer Olympics
- Luxembourg at the Winter Olympics
- Luxembourg at the FIFA World Cup
Past sporting events hosted in Luxembourg
Upcoming sporting events in Luxembourg
Annual sporting events held in Luxembourg
- Tour de Luxembourg (cycling)
- Luxembourg Open (tennis)
- Eurocross - an annual international cross country running competition which takes place in Diekirch, in February each year.
Sporting Facilities in Luxembourg
- Stade Josy Barthe (stadium)
- D'Coque (indoor arena)
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