 Freire at the2012 Tour Down Under | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Óscar Freire Gómez |
| Nickname | The Cat,Oscarito |
| Born | (1976-02-15)15 February 1976 (age 49) Torrelavega, Spain |
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft7+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 64 kg (141 lb; 10 st 1 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Sprinter, Classics specialist |
| Amateur teams | |
| 1995–1996 | Ripolin Bondex |
| 1997 | Pinturas Banaka |
| Professional teams | |
| 1998–1999 | Vitalicio Seguros |
| 2000–2002 | Mapei–Quick-Step |
| 2003–2011 | Rabobank |
| 2012 | Team Katusha |
| Major wins | |
Grand Tours
| |
Óscar Freire Gómez (born 15 February 1976) is a Spanish former professionalroad bicycle racer. He was one of the topsprinters inroad bicycle racing, having won the world championship three times, equallingAlfredo Binda,Rik Van Steenbergen,Eddy Merckx andPeter Sagan. In the later years of his career, he became more of a classics rider. He won thecycling monumentMilan–San Remo three times, the green jersey and four stages in theTour de France and seven stages of theVuelta a España, throughout a successful career.
Despite his diminutive stature, Freire was a world class sprinter. He had a training philosophy where he rode shorter distances than most professional cyclists, sometimes covering only about half the distance his colleagues would.[1] When growing up he contracted tuberculosis and narrowly avoided having a leg amputated.[2]
Born inTorrelavega, Cantabria, (where the town has named a velodrome in his honour)[2] Freire became professional in 1998 withVitalicio Seguros. He won one race that year, a stage of theVuelta a Castilla y León. He came 11th inParis–Tours.
In 1999, Freire won little until theUCI World Championship Road Race in October. He went toVerona to make up numbers in the Spanish team. He spent his prize on an elevator for his grandmother's apartment. After his victory, as with all his victories, his grandmother sung a regional folk song on his telephone.[2] Prior to winning the World Championships,ONCE had expressed interest in signing him, but following victory his inflated price was too high, meaning that he never rode for a native team again.[2]
Freire joinedMapei in 2000. Upon joining the team, he spent his salary on a new family home for his parents and grandmother. It had been ranked best team since 1994. That year he won 11 races including two stages in theVuelta a España. He also came third place in theUCI World Championship Road Race.
In 2001 he won two races and took the points competition in theVuelta a Burgos, before becoming world champion for the second time by winning the2001 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race inLisbon.
In 2002 he won a stage in theTour de France.
In 2003, Freire moved toRabobank, where in his first season he won six races.
In 2004 he wonMilan–San Remo,Trofeo Luis Puig, a stage and second place overall inTirreno–Adriatico, a stage in theVuelta a España and for the third time, and the second time in Verona, theworld championship road race.
He started 2005 winning three stages, the points classification and the yellow jersey at Tirreno–Adriatico, as well as theBrabantse Pijl,Trofeo Alcúdia andTrofeo Mallorca, all before the end of March. His season was then cut short by a saddle sore.
In 2006, Freire won his second consecutive Brabantse Pijl. His stage 3 win atTirreno–Adriatico allowed him to lead for two days. At theTour de Suisse, he survived an early break of four riders to win alone on stage 7. Freire won the fifth and ninth stages in the2006 Tour de France and was contesting the points classification when he retired due to illness. During stage twelve, he was in a breakaway with three others. Freire's career has been blighted with injury and lay-offs. He had back problems, saddle sores and neck problems.WhenYaroslav Popovych, riding for theDiscovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, rode away for victory, rumours spread that Freire had been ordered by Rabobank not to ride for the victory, to secure help from the Discovery Team in the mountains. Although rumours were denied by both teams, Freire was upset after the stage. Freire continued his successful year by winning theVattenfall Cyclassics ahead of German favouriteErik Zabel. Freire had half of Rabobank's victories in 2006. His season was cut short by neck and spinal injuries, forcing him to miss the Vuelta a España and world championship.
Freire re-signed for Rabobank in late 2006 until the end of 2008, rejectingSaunier Duval–Prodir.
In the2007 Tour de France, he did not win a stage, partly becauseRabobank was defendingMichael Rasmussen's lead for a large part of the race. But he won three stages in theVuelta a España.
In the2008 Tour, Freire wore the green jersey from stage 8. He won stage 14 and thepoints classification.
In the2009 Tour he andJulian Dean were shot by anair rifle during the 13th stage fromVittel toColmar. He was shot in the thigh and finished the stage 117th.[3]
In March 2010, Freire won the2010 Milan–San Remo in front ofTom Boonen andAlessandro Petacchi.[4] On 10 October 2010 Freire became the first Spaniard to winParis–Tours and in doing so became the new holder of theRuban Jaune for setting the fastest average speed in a classic race, he covered the 233 km at an average of 47.73 km per hour.[5]
Shortly before the2011 UCI Road World Championships it was announced that Óscar Freire would retire at the end of the season if he did not win the World Championship road race. Freire ended negotiations to continue his contract with his team before the race, and noted health issues include worsening respiratory problems, having had sinus andnasal surgery in the last two years. He was unable to race the2011 Tour de France and was forced to abandon the2011 Vuelta a España.[6]
Initially, Freire planned to finish his career by 2012, but at the end of season 2011 he suddenly changed his mind. While his homeRabobank team, confused by the situation and Oscar's indecision, failed to provide him an extension for another year, Freire had to start talks with other teams.[7]Omega Pharma–Quick-Step,Lotto–Belisol andGeox–TMC expressed their interest to secure his service for season 2012, but Freire choseTeam Katusha. He was reported to have been swayed byTeam Katusha because the Russian team had a good number of other Spanish riders on its roster along with its well-organised structure and guaranteed entry into WorldTour races.[7]
By 2012 Freire fully recovered from his previous health problems and managed to show very good results at the first opening races. In January he won stage 3 of AustralianTour Down Under, and then completed his success at stage 3 ofVuelta a Andalucía. At the spring classics Óscar Freire finished 7th atMilan–San Remo, while having taken two second places: one atE3 Harelbeke where he was edged on the line byTom Boonen (Omega Pharma–Quick-Step)[8] and the other at theBrabantse Pijl, where he dominated the sprint of the chasers after lone escapeeThomas Voeckler ofTeam Europcar had crossed the line.[9] He then went on to finish 4th in theAmstel Gold Race. He escaped from the lead group with 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to cover and held an advantage of 18 seconds at the bottom of the final climb, theCauberg. He was passed in the final meters, but managed to hold on for fourth.[10]
In an interview to the French magazineVelochrono, Freire claimed to take part in the Olympics in London along with theTour de France andUCI Road World Championships.[11] Freire later admitted that he was contemplating retirement if he didn't win the rainbow jersey, and that he would keep riding for another year or two if he wins the 2012 UCI Championships.[12] He retired from professional cycling at the end of 2012, reportedly refusing a deal fromEuskaltel–Euskadi, who would have liked him to race for the 2013 season and then take a post in management.[13] The Basque team was suspected of trying to hoard in Freire's crucialUCI World Tour points, which would help them get a World Tour license for 2013, but the team management denied it.[14] In retirement he went to live, with his family, in Switzerland.[2][15]
His sonMarcos Freire is also a professional cyclist.[16]
Road race,UCI Road World Under-23 Championships
Road race,UCI Road World Championships
after Stages 4–7
Road race,UCI Road World Championships
Points classificationRoad race,UCI Road World Championships Points classification
OverallGiro della Provincia di Lucca Points classificationRoad race,UCI Road World Championships
Points classification,Tour de Luxembourg
OverallTirreno–Adriatico
Points classification OverallVuelta a Andalucía Points classification
after Stages 2–3
after Stages 2–9Points classification Points classification Points classification Points classification| Grand Tour general classification results timeline | |||||||||||||||
| Grand Tour | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia | Did not contest during his career | ||||||||||||||
| Tour de France | — | — | — | — | DNF | 96 | — | — | DNF | DNF | 68 | 99 | 141 | — | DNF |
| /Vuelta a España | — | — | DNF | DNF | DNF | — | DNF | — | — | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF | — |
| Major stage race general classification results | |||||||||||||||
| Race | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
 /Paris–Nice | Did not contest during his career | ||||||||||||||
/ Tirreno–Adriatico | — | — | 13 | — | 3 | 64 | 2 | 1 | 52 | 29 | 93 | — | 52 | 53 | DNF |
 Volta a Catalunya | — | — | — | — | 61 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour of the Basque Country | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | — | 59 | 40 | DNF | — |
| /Tour de Romandie | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 75 | — | 80 | — |
 Critérium du Dauphiné | — | — | — | — | — | — | OTL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour de Suisse | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF | 79 | 66 | DNF | DNF |
| Monument | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan–San Remo | — | — | 3 | — | 5 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 8 | — | 1 | 94 | 7 |
| Tour of Flanders | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | 23 | — | — | 49 | 40 | — | — | — | 12 |
| Paris–Roubaix | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | — | — | — | — | 22 | 35 | 14 | 96 | 14 | 77 | 11 | 14 | — | 15 | 24 |
| Giro di Lombardia | — | — | 13 | 21 | 26 | 49 | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | DNF | — | — |
| Classic | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| E3 Harelbeke | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 13 | DNF | — | 12 | 56 | — | — | — | 2 |
| Gent–Wevelgem | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 12 | — | 4 |
| Brabantse Pijl | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 37 | — | 9 | 11 | 2 |
| Amstel Gold Race | 45 | — | 9 | — | 5 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 17 | 8 | 19 | 64 | 14 | 6 | 4 |
| La Flèche Wallonne | — | — | — | — | 19 | 51 | 32 | 5 | 75 | 11 | 33 | 58 | 88 | — | 83 |
| Züri-Metzgete | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | Race did not exist | |||||
| Clásica de San Sebastián | 72 | — | 5 | — | 11 | 83 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 72 | — |
| Hamburg Cyclassics | — | — | 13 | — | 25 | — | 4 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Paris–Tours | 11 | — | 44 | 2 | 11 | 42 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 20 | — |
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 156 | 9 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 38 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 10 |
 National Championships | 3 | — | — | — | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| — | Did not compete |
|---|---|
| DNF | Did not finish |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
