Óscar Freire

For the street in São Paulo, see Rua Oscar Freire.

Óscar Freire

Freire in the 2008 Ronde van Vlaanderen
Personal information
Full name	Óscar Freire Gómez
Nickname	The Cat, Oscarito
Born	February 15, 1976 (1976-02-15) (age 35)  Spain
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	63 kg (140 lb)
Team information
Current team	Rabobank
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Sprinter
Professional team(s)
1998–1999 2000–2002 2003–2011	Vitalicio Seguros Mapei Rabobank
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France Points classification (2008) 4 individual stages Vuelta a España 7 individual stages Stage Races Tirreno–Adriatico (2005) Single-Day Races and Classics World Road Race Championship (1999, 2001, 2004) Milan - San Remo (2004, 2007, 2010) Ghent-Wevelgem (2008) Vattenfall Cyclassics (2006) Paris-Tours (2010) Brabantse Pijl (2005, 2006, 2007)
Medal record Competitor for  Spain Road bicycle racing World Championships Gold 1999 Verona Elite Men's Road Race Gold 2001 Lisbon Elite Men's Road Race Gold 2004 Verona Elite Men's Road Race Bronze 2000 Plouay Elite Men's Road Race U-23 World Championships Silver 1997 San Sebastian U-23 Men's Road Race
Infobox last updated on March 21, 2010

Óscar Freire Gómez (born February 15, 1976 in Torrelavega, Cantabria) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding for the UCI ProTeam Rabobank. He is one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship a three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx. He has also won Milan – San Remo three times.

Despite diminutive stature, Freire is a feared sprinter. He is sometimes criticized for his training, since he rides only half the distance of other cyclists.^{[citation needed]} He is coached by former oarsman and organisational guru John McCabe.

Career

Vitalicio Seguros (1998–1999)

Freire became professional in 1998 with Vitalicio Seguros. He won one race that year, a stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y León. He came 11th in Paris–Tours. In 1999, Freire won little until the world championship in October. He went to Verona to make up numbers in the Spanish team. He spent his prize on an elevator for his grandmother's apartment.

Mapei-Quick Step (2000–2002)

Freire joined Mapei in 2000. It had been ranked best team since 1994. That year he won 11 races including two stages in the Vuelta a España. He also came third place in the world championship. In 2001 he won two races and took the points competition in the Vuelta a Burgos, before becoming world champion for the second time. In 2002 he won a stage in the Tour de France.

Rabobank (2003–2011)

In 2003, Freire moved to Rabobank, where in his first season he won six races. In 2004 he won Milan – San Remo, Trofeo Luis Puig, a stage and second place overall in Tirreno–Adriatico, a stage in the Vuelta a España and for the third time, and the second time in Verona, the world championship. He started 2005 winning three stages, the points classification and the yellow jersey at Tirreno–Adriatico, as well as the Brabantse Pijl, Trofeo Alcudia and Trofeo 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 at Tirreno–Adriatico allowed him to lead for two days. At the Tour de Suisse, he survived an early break of four riders to win alone on stage 7. Freire won the fifth and ninth stages in the 2006 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. When Yaroslav Popovych, riding for the Discovery 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 the Vattenfall Cyclassics ahead of German favourite Erik 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, rejecting Saunier Duval-Prodir.

In the 2007 Tour de France, he did not win a stage, partly because Rabobank was defending Michael Rasmussen's lead for a large part of the race. But he won three stages in the Vuelta a España. In the 2008 Tour, Freire wore the green jersey from stage 8. He won stage 14 and the points classification. In the 2009 Tour he and Julian Dean were shot by an air rifle during the 13th stage from Vittel to Colmar. He was shot in the thigh and finished the stage 117th.^[1] Freire’s career has been blighted with injury and lay-offs. He had back problems, saddle sores and neck problems.

In March 2010, Freire won the 2010 Milan – San Remo in front of Tom Boonen and Alessandro Petacchi.^[2] On October 10, 2010 Freire became the first Spaniard to win Paris-Tours and in doing so became the new holder of the Ruban 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.^[3]

Shortly before the 2011 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 and nasal surgery in the last two years. He was unable to race the 2011 Tour de France and was forced to abandon the 2011 Vuelta a España.^[4]

Palmarès

1997

2nd U23 Road Race World Championships

1998

1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León

3rd Spanish National Road Race Championships

1999

1st Road Race World Championship

2000

1st Stage 2 Vuelta a España

1st Stage 4 Vuelta a España

1st Stage 1 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Stage 6 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Stage 3 Vuelta a Aragón

1st Stage 4 Vuelta a Aragón

1st Points classification

1st Stage 3 Giro della Provincia di Lucca

1st Stage 3 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

1st Trofeo Mallorca

3rd Road Race World Championship

3rd Milan – San Remo

2001

1st Road Race World Championship

1st Stage 5 Vuelta a Burgos

1st Points classification

1st Stage 4 Deutschland Tour

2002

1st Stage 2 Tour de France

1st Manacor-Porto Cristo

1st Cala Rajada – Cala Millor

2003

1st Overall Giro della Provincia di Lucca

1st Stage 1

1st Stage 2

1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Stage 2 Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Points classification

1st Stage 7 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Stage 5 Volta a Catalunya

2004

1st Road Race World Championship

1st Milan – San Remo

1st Stage 6 Vuelta a España

1st Stage 3 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Trofeo Luis Puig

1st Trofeo Cala Millor – Cala Rajada

2005

1st Overall Tirenno-Adriatico

1st Stage 2

1st Stage 3

1st Stage 4

1st Points classification

1st Brabantse Pijl

1st Trofeo Alcudia

1st Trofeo Mallorca

2006

1st Stage 5 Tour de France

1st Stage 9 Tour de France

1st Stage 7 Tour de Suisse

1st Stage 4 Vuelta al País Vasco

1st Stage 3 Tirenno-Adriatico

1st Vattenfall Cyclassics

1st Brabantse Pijl

2007

1st Milan – San Remo

1st Stage 2 Vuelta a España

1st Stage 5 Vuelta a España

1st Stage 6 Vuelta a España

Held Gold jersey wearer From Stages 2–3

1st Trofeo Mallorca

1st Overall Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Stage 2

1st Stage 5

1st Points classification

1st Brabantse Pijl

2nd Vattenfall Cyclassics

3rd Gent–Wevelgem

3rd Paris–Tours

2008

1st Stage 14 Tour de France

1st Points Classification

1st Stage 11 Vuelta a España

1st Gent–Wevelgem

1st Stage 1 Tour de Suisse

1st Stage 1 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Stage 4 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Stage 6 Tirreno–Adriatico

1st Points classification

2009

1st Stage 2 Tour de Romandie

1st Stage 5 Tour de Romandie

2010

1st Milan – San Remo

1st Paris–Tours

1st Trofeo Calla Millor

1st Stage 2 Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Stage 3 Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Stage 1 Vuelta al País Vasco

1st Stage 2 Vuelta al País Vasco

6th UCI Road World Championships

2011

1st Stage 3 Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Stage 4 Vuelta a Andalucía

1st Points classification

6th Amstel Gold Race

References

1. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/freire-dean-shot-at-during-tour-stage
2. ^ "Milan-San Remo 2010: Spain's Oscar Freire wins in sprint finish". Telegraph. 2010-02-20. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/7488203/Milan-San-Remo-2010-Spains-Oscar-Freire-wins-in-sprint-finish.html. Retrieved 2010-03-30. 
3. ^ Cyclingnews.com Gives details of 2010 edition of Paris-Tours.
4. ^ Cyclingnews.com Freire: World title or retirement.

External links

• Official Site (Spanish)
• Profile on Rabobank website (Dutch)
• Óscar Freire at Trap-Friis.dk

Sporting positions
Preceded by Paolo Bettini Filippo Pozzato Mark Cavendish	Winner of Milan – San Remo 2004 2007 2010	Succeeded by Alessandro Petacchi Fabian Cancellara Matthew Goss

Persondata
Name	Freire, Óscar
Alternative names	Freire Gómez, Óscar
Short description	Road bicycle racer
Date of birth	1976-02-15
Place of birth	Torrelavega, Cantabria, Spain
Date of death
Place of death