Óscar Freire Gómez (born 15 February 1976) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the World Championship three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen, Eddy Merckx and Peter Sagan. In the later years of his career, he became more of a classics rider. He won the cycling monument Milan–San Remo three times, the green jersey and four stages in the Tour de France and seven stages of the Vuelta 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. When growing up he contracted tuberculosis and narrowly avoided having a leg amputated.

Career

Vitalicio Seguros (1998–1999)

Born in Torrelavega, Cantabria, (where the town has named a velodrome in his honour)

In March 2010, Freire won the 2010 Milan–San Remo in front of Tom Boonen and Alessandro Petacchi. On 10 October 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.

thumb|upright|right|Freire at the [[2011 Danmark Rundt]]

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.

Team Katusha (2012)

Initially, Freire planned to finish his career by 2012, but at the end of season 2011 he suddenly changed his mind. While his home Rabobank 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. Omega Pharma–Quick-Step, Lotto–Belisol and Geox–TMC expressed their interest to secure his service for season 2012, but Freire chose Team Katusha. He was reported to have been swayed by Team 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. and the other at the Brabantse Pijl, where he dominated the sprint of the chasers after lone escapee Thomas Voeckler of had crossed the line. He then went on to finish 4th in the Amstel Gold Race. He escaped from the lead group with to cover and held an advantage of 18 seconds at the bottom of the final climb, the Cauberg. He was passed in the final meters, but managed to hold on for fourth.

In an interview to the French magazine Velochrono, Freire claimed to take part in the Olympics in London along with the Tour de France and UCI Road World Championships. 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. He retired from professional cycling at the end of 2012, reportedly refusing a deal from , who would have liked him to race for the 2013 season and then take a post in management. The Basque team was suspected of trying to hoard in Freire's crucial UCI World Tour points, which would help them get a World Tour license for 2013, but the team management denied it. In retirement he went to live, with his family, in Switzerland.

Personal life

His son Marcos Freire is also a professional cyclist.

Career achievements

Major results

;1997

: 2nd 15px Road race, UCI Road World Under-23 Championships

;1998 <small>(1 pro win)</small>

: 1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León

: 3rd Road race, National Road Championships

: 3rd Clásica de Almería

: 3rd Circuito de Getxo

: 4th GP Villafranca de Ordizia

: 5th Giro della Romagna

;1999 <small>(1)</small>

: 1st Road race, UCI Road World Championships

;2000 <small>(10)</small>

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::1st Trofeo Palma

::4th Trofeo Sóller

: Vuelta a España

::1st Stages 2 & 4

::Held after Stages 4–7

: Tirreno–Adriatico

::1st Stages 1 & 6

: 1st Stage 3 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

: 1st Stage 3 Giro della Provincia di Lucca

: 2nd Trofeo Luis Puig

: 3rd 15px Road race, UCI Road World Championships

: 3rd Overall Escalada a Montjuïc

::1st Stage 1a

: 3rd Milan–San Remo

: 5th Clásica de San Sebastián

: 6th Züri-Metzgete

: 8th Overall Vuelta a Aragón

::1st Points classification

::1st Stages 3 & 4

: 8th Lancaster Classic

: 9th Amstel Gold Race

;2001 <small>(3)</small>

: 1st Road race, UCI Road World Championships

: Vuelta a Burgos

::1st Points classification

::1st Stage 5

: 1st Stage 4 Deutschland Tour

: 2nd Paris–Tours

;2002 <small>(3)</small>

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::1st Trofeo Manacor

::1st Trofeo Sóller

: 1st Stage 2 Tour de France

: 3rd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico

: 4th Rund um den Henninger Turm

: 5th Milan–San Remo

: 5th Amstel Gold Race

;2003 <small>(7)</small>

: 1st Overall Giro della Provincia di Lucca

::1st Stage 1 & 2

: Vuelta a Andalucía

::1st Points classification

::1st Stage 1 & 2

: 1st Stage 7 Tirreno–Adriatico

: 1st Stage 5 Volta a Catalunya

: 2nd Brabantse Pijl

: 4th Rund um den Henninger Turm

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::4th Trofeo Manacor

::6th Trofeo Sóller

: 5th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli

: 6th Paris–Brussels

: 7th Milan–San Remo

: 8th Overall Ronde van Nederland

: 9th Road race, UCI Road World Championships

;2004 <small>(6)</small>

: 1st Road race, UCI Road World Championships

: 1st Milan–San Remo

: 1st Trofeo Luis Puig

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::1st Trofeo Alcúdia

::2nd Trofeo Palma

::3rd Trofeo Calvià

: 1st Stage 6 Vuelta a España

: 1st Points classification, Tour de Luxembourg

: 2nd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico

::1st Stage 3

: 4th HEW Cyclassics

: 9th Overall Sachsen Tour

: 9th Züri-Metzgete

;2005 <small>(6)</small>

: 1st Overall Tirreno–Adriatico

::1st Points classification

::1st Stages 2, 3 & 4

: 1st Brabantse Pijl

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::1st Trofeo Alcúdia

::1st Trofeo Palma

: 3rd Trofeo Luis Puig

: 5th Milan–San Remo

: 5th La Flèche Wallonne

;2006 <small>(7)</small>

: 1st Brabantse Pijl

: 1st Vattenfall Cyclassics

: 1st RaboRonde Heerlen

: Tour de France

::1st Stages 5 & 9

: 1st Stage 7 Tour de Suisse

: 1st Stage 4 Tour of the Basque Country

: 1st Stage 3 Tirreno–Adriatico

: 6th Milan–San Remo

;2007 <small>(9)</small>

: 1st Overall Vuelta a Andalucía

::1st Points classification

::1st Stages 2 & 5

: 1st Milan–San Remo

: 1st Brabantse Pijl

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::1st Trofeo Palma

::10th Trofeo Calvià

: Vuelta a España

::1st Stages 2, 5 & 6

::Held after Stages 2–3

::Held 20px after Stages 2–9

: 2nd Vattenfall Cyclassics

: 3rd Gent–Wevelgem

: 3rd Paris–Tours

: 8th Amstel Gold Race

;2008 <small>(6)</small>

: 1st Gent–Wevelgem

: Tour de France

::1st Points classification

::1st Stage 14

: Tirreno–Adriatico

::1st Points classification

::1st Stages 1, 4 & 6

: 1st Stage 11 Vuelta a España

: 1st Stage 1 Tour de Suisse

: 2nd Clásica de Almería

: 8th Milan–San Remo

;2009 <small>(2)</small>

: Tour de Romandie

::1st Stages 2 & 5

: 5th Paris–Tours

;2010 <small>(7)</small>

: 1st Milan–San Remo

: 1st Paris–Tours

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::1st Trofeo Calla Millor

::3rd Trofeo Palma

: Tour of the Basque Country

::1st Stages 1 & 2

: Vuelta a Andalucía

::1st Points classification

::1st Stages 2 & 3

: 6th Road race, UCI Road World Championships

: 8th Overall Tour of Belgium

: 9th Brabantse Pijl

;2011 <small>(2)</small>

: Vuelta a Andalucía

::1st Points classification

::1st Stages 3 & 4

: 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Tirreno–Adriatico

: Vuelta a Mallorca

::2nd Trofeo Magaluf-Palmanova

: 6th Amstel Gold Race

: 7th Grand Prix de Wallonie

: 9th Road race, UCI Road World Championships

;2012 <small>(2)</small>

: 1st Stage 4 Tour Down Under

: 1st Stage 3 Vuelta a Andalucía

: 2nd E3 Harelbeke

: 2nd Brabantse Pijl

: 3rd Paris–Brussels

: 4th Gent–Wevelgem

: 4th Amstel Gold Race

: 7th Milan–San Remo

: 10th Road race, UCI Road World Championships

General classification results timeline

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|colspan=16 align="center"|Grand Tour general classification results timeline

|-

! Grand Tour

! scope="col" | 1998

! scope="col" | 1999

! scope="col" | 2000

! scope="col" | 2001

! scope="col" | 2002

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

! scope="col" | 2007

! scope="col" | 2008

! scope="col" | 2009

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Giro d'Italia

| style="color:#4d4d4d;" colspan=15|Did not contest during his career

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Tour de France

| —

| —

| —

| —

| DNF

| 96

| —

| —

| DNF

| DNF

| 68

| 99

| 141

| —

| DNF

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | / Vuelta a España

| —

| —

| DNF

| DNF

| DNF

| —

| DNF

| —

| —

| DNF

| DNF

| DNF

| DNF

| DNF

| —

|-

|colspan=16 align="center"|Major stage race general classification results

|-

! Race

! scope="col" | 1998

! scope="col" | 1999

! scope="col" | 2000

! scope="col" | 2001

! scope="col" | 2002

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

! scope="col" | 2007

! scope="col" | 2008

! scope="col" | 2009

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | / Paris–Nice

| style="color:#4d4d4d;" colspan=15|Did not contest during his career

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | / Tirreno–Adriatico

| —

| —

| 13

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |3

| 64

| style="background:#ddf;" |2

| style="background:yellow; border:2px solid red;" |1

| 52

| 29

| 93

| —

| 52

| 53

| DNF

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Volta a Catalunya

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 61

| 62

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Tour of the Basque Country

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 37

| —

| —

| 59

| 40

| DNF

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | / Tour de Romandie

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 75

| —

| 80

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Critérium du Dauphiné

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| OTL

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Tour de Suisse

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| DNF

| DNF

| DNF

| DNF

| 79

| 66

| DNF

| DNF

|}

Classics results timeline

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|-

!Monument

! scope="col" | 1998

! scope="col" | 1999

! scope="col" | 2000

! scope="col" | 2001

! scope="col" | 2002

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

! scope="col" | 2007

! scope="col" | 2008

! scope="col" | 2009

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Milan–San Remo

| —

| —

| style="background:#C9AE5D;"|3

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |5

| style="background:#ddf;" |7

| style="background:gold;" |1

| style="background:#ddf;" |5

| style="background:#ddf;" |6

| style="background:gold;" |1

| style="background:#ddf;" |8

| —

| style="background:gold;" |1

| 94

| style="background:#ddf;" |7

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Tour of Flanders

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 30

| 23

| —

| —

| 49

| 40

| —

| —

| —

| 12

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Paris–Roubaix

| DNF

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Liège–Bastogne–Liège

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 22

| 35

| 14

| 96

| 14

| 77

| 11

| 14

| —

| 15

| 24

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Giro di Lombardia

| —

| —

| 13

| 21

| 26

| 49

| —

| —

| —

| DNF

| —

| —

| DNF

| —

| —

|-

! Classic

! scope="col" | 1998

! scope="col" | 1999

! scope="col" | 2000

! scope="col" | 2001

! scope="col" | 2002

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

! scope="col" | 2007

! scope="col" | 2008

! scope="col" | 2009

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | E3 Harelbeke

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 23

| 13

| DNF

| —

| 12

| 56

| —

| —

| —

| style="background:silver;" |2

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Gent–Wevelgem

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 38

| —

| —

| —

| style="background:#C9AE5D;"|3

| style="background:gold;" |1

| —

| 12

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |4

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Brabantse Pijl

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| style="background:silver;" |2

| —

| style="background:gold;" |1

| style="background:gold;" |1

| style="background:gold;" |1

| 37

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |9

| 11

| style="background:silver;" |2

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Amstel Gold Race

| 45

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |9

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |5

| 14

| 14

| style="background:#ddf;" |10

| 17

| style="background:#ddf;" |8

| 19

| 64

| 14

| style="background:#ddf;" |6

| style="background:#ddf;" |4

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | La Flèche Wallonne

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 19

| 51

| 32

| style="background:#ddf;" |5

| 75

| 11

| 33

| 58

| 88

| —

| 83

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Züri-Metzgete

| —

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |6

| —

| —

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |9

| —

| —

| style="color:#4d4d4d;" colspan=6|Race did not exist

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Clásica de San Sebastián

| 72

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |5

| —

| 11

| 83

| 11

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| 72

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Hamburg Cyclassics

| —

| —

| 13

| —

| 25

| —

| style="background:#ddf;" |4

| —

| style="background:gold;" |1

| style="background:silver;" |2

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | Paris–Tours

| 11

| —

| 44

| style="background:silver;" |2

| 11

| 42

| style="background:#C9AE5D;"|3

| —

| —

| style="background:silver;" |2

| 18

| style="background:#ddf;" |5

| style="background:gold;" |1

| 20

| —

|}

Major championships results timeline

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|-

!

! scope="col" | 1998

! scope="col" | 1999

! scope="col" | 2000

! scope="col" | 2001

! scope="col" | 2002

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

! scope="col" | 2007

! scope="col" | 2008

! scope="col" | 2009

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | World Championships

| 17

| style="background:gold;" |1

| style="background:#C9AE5D;"|3

| style="background:gold;" |1

| 156

| style="background:#ddf;" |9

| style="background:gold;" |1

| —

| —

| 14

| 38

| 15

| style="background:#ddf;" |6

| style="background:#ddf;" |9

| style="background:#ddf;" |10

|- style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | National Championships

| style="background:#C9AE5D;"|3

| —

| —

| —

| 62

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Legend

|-

! scope="row" | —

| Did not compete

|-

! scope="row" | DNF

| Did not finish

|}

References

  • Official Site
  • Profile on Katusha website
  • Oscar Freire's Profile on Cycling Base