Óscar Pereiro facts for kids
![]() Pereiro in 2009
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Óscar Pereiro Sío | ||
Born | Mos, Galicia, Spain |
3 August 1977 ||
Height | 1.77 m | ||
Weight | 67 kg (148 lb; 10 st 8 lb) | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Retired | ||
Discipline | Road | ||
Role | Rider | ||
Rider type | All-rounder | ||
Major wins | |||
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Óscar Pereiro Sío (born 3 August 1977) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He became famous for winning the 2006 Tour de France. This happened after the original winner, Floyd Landis, was disqualified. Pereiro rode for several teams during his career. After he stopped cycling in 2010, he started playing football for a local team.
Contents
Óscar Pereiro's Early Cycling Career
Óscar Pereiro showed great talent early in his cycling journey. In the 2004 Tour de France, he finished in tenth place. This was a strong result for him.
Winning the Most Aggressive Rider Award
In the 2005 Tour de France, Pereiro earned the Most Aggressive Rider Award. This award goes to the cyclist who shows the most fighting spirit. He was part of the leading groups in several stages. He even won Stage 16, beating other strong riders. His efforts in Stage 15, which was very tough, were admired by everyone.
Winning the 2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was a very important race for Óscar Pereiro. In Stage 13, he made a big breakaway. This move helped him gain almost 30 minutes on the other top riders. It put him unexpectedly into the yellow jersey, which is worn by the overall leader.
Becoming the Champion
Pereiro and Floyd Landis traded the yellow jersey back and forth for a few days. Landis eventually took the lead for good near the end of the Tour. However, after the race, Landis was disqualified. This meant that Óscar Pereiro became the official winner of the 2006 Tour de France. Pereiro said he felt like the champion and that it was a victory for his whole team.
Pereiro's Health and Racing
In 2007, there was an investigation about a substance found in Pereiro's samples from the 2006 Tour. This substance, called salbutamol, is used to treat asthma. Cyclists can use it if they have a medical reason. Pereiro provided enough medical proof for its use. The French anti-doping agency then closed its investigation.
Crash in the 2008 Tour de France

During the 2008 Tour de France, Pereiro had a serious crash. He fell over a guardrail during a downhill section. He broke his arm but stayed conscious. This crash unfortunately ended his race that year.
Óscar Pereiro's Football Career
After retiring from professional cycling in 2010, Óscar Pereiro decided to try a new sport. He announced that he signed with a football club called Coruxo FC. He said that becoming a professional footballer was a dream he had since he was a child. He played as a winger for the team. He made two appearances and scored two goals in that season.
Major Cycling Achievements
Road Racing Highlights
- 2001
- 6th Overall Grande Prémio Jornal de Notícias
- 2002
- 1st Stage 5 Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
- 3rd Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia
- 2003
- 2nd Overall Vuelta a Burgos
- 3rd Overall Tour de Suisse
- 1st Stage 6
- 2004
- 1st Classique des Alpes
- 10th Overall Tour de France
- 2005
- 2006
- 1st
Overall Tour de France
- 1st
- 2007
- 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Volta a Catalunya
- 10th Overall Tour de France
- 2008
- 3rd Road race, National Road Championships
Grand Tour Results Timeline
This table shows Óscar Pereiro's results in the biggest cycling races, called Grand Tours.
Grand Tour | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
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— | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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— | — | — | — | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | DNF | DNF | — |
![]() ![]() |
— | — | 30 | 17 | — | 26 | 49 | DNF | — | — | — |
— | Did not compete |
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DNF | Did not finish |
Cyclo-cross Achievements
Óscar Pereiro also competed in cyclo-cross, which is a type of bicycle racing that involves riding on various terrains.
See also
In Spanish: Óscar Pereiro para niños