Óscar Freire facts for kids
Freire at the 2012 Tour Down Under
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| Personal information | |||
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| Full name | Óscar Freire Gómez | ||
| Nickname | The Cat, Oscarito | ||
| Born | 15 February 1976 Torrelavega, Spain |
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| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7+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 | ||
| Major wins | |||
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Óscar Freire Gómez, born on February 15, 1976, is a famous Spanish former professional cyclist. He was known as one of the best sprinters in cycling. He won the World Championship three times! Only a few other cyclists have done that. Later in his career, he also became very good at classic races. He won the famous Milan–San Remo race three times. He also won the green jersey and four stages in the Tour de France, and seven stages in the Vuelta a España.
Even though he was smaller than many cyclists, Freire was a top-notch sprinter. He had a unique training style. He rode shorter distances than most professional cyclists. Sometimes he rode only half the distance his teammates did. When he was growing up, he got tuberculosis. He almost had to have a leg removed.
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Óscar Freire's Cycling Career
Starting Out: Vitalicio Seguros (1998–1999)
Óscar Freire was born in Torrelavega, Spain. The town even named a velodrome (a cycling track) after him! He became a professional cyclist in 1998. He rode for the team Vitalicio Seguros. That year, he won one race, a stage in the Vuelta a Castilla y León.
In 1999, Freire didn't win much until October. That's when he won the UCI World Championship Road Race. He went to Verona just to help his Spanish team. After his big win, he used his prize money to buy an elevator for his grandmother's apartment. His grandmother would sing a special folk song to him on the phone after every victory.
Joining Mapei–Quick Step (2000–2002)
In 2000, Freire joined the Mapei team. This team was known as the best since 1994. He used his salary to buy a new home for his parents and grandmother. That year, he won 11 races. This included two stages in the Vuelta a España. He also finished third in the World Championship Road Race.
In 2001, he won two more races. He also won the points competition in the Vuelta a Burgos. Then, he became world champion for the second time! He won the 2001 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race in Lisbon. In 2002, he won a stage in the famous Tour de France.
Years with Rabobank (2003–2011)
In 2003, Freire moved to the Rabobank team. He won six races in his first season with them.
In 2004, he had a fantastic year. He won Milan–San Remo, a stage in the Vuelta a España, and the world championship road race for the third time. This third win was also in Verona, where he won his first world title.
He started 2005 strong, winning three stages and the overall title at Tirreno–Adriatico. He also won the Brabantse Pijl and two other races. Unfortunately, his season ended early due to a saddle sore.
In 2006, Freire won his second Brabantse Pijl in a row. He also won two stages in the 2006 Tour de France. He was doing well in the points competition, but had to leave the race because he was sick. Freire often had bad luck with injuries and health problems. He suffered from back, neck, and saddle sore issues. He also won the Vattenfall Cyclassics race. Freire was responsible for half of Rabobank's victories in 2006.
In the 2007 Tour de France, he didn't win any stages. This was partly because his team was busy defending another rider's lead. But he did win three stages in the Vuelta a España. In the 2008 Tour, Freire wore the green jersey (for the points leader) from stage 8. He won stage 14 and the overall points classification.
During the 2009 Tour de France, something unusual happened. He and another rider were shot by an air rifle during a stage. Freire was shot in the thigh, but he still finished the stage!
In March 2010, Freire won the 2010 Milan–San Remo again. On October 10, 2010, he became the first Spanish cyclist to win Paris–Tours. He also set a new record for the fastest average speed in a classic race. He rode 233 km (about 145 miles) at an average speed of 47.73 km per hour (about 29.66 mph).
Before the 2011 UCI Road World Championships, Freire said he would retire if he didn't win the world title. He had been having health problems, including breathing issues. He couldn't race in the 2011 Tour de France and had to leave the 2011 Vuelta a España.
Final Season: Team Katusha (2012)
Freire had planned to retire by 2012. But at the end of 2011, he changed his mind. His old team, Rabobank, didn't offer him a new contract. So, Freire started talking to other teams. He decided to join Team Katusha. He liked that the Russian team had other Spanish riders. It also had a good structure and guaranteed entry into top races.
By 2012, Freire was feeling much better. He started the season with strong results. In January, he won a stage in the 2012 Tour Down Under in Australia. Then, he won a stage in the 2012 Vuelta a Andalucía. In the spring classic races, he finished 7th at 2012 Milan–San Remo. He also took second place in two other races: E3 Harelbeke and the Brabantse Pijl. He finished 4th in the 2012 Amstel Gold Race.
Freire later said he was thinking about retiring if he didn't win the world championship in 2012. He retired from professional cycling at the end of 2012. He moved to Switzerland with his family.
Images for kids
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Freire at the 2012 Tour Down Under
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Freire racing for Mapei in 2001
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Freire with Rabobank in 2004
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Freire at the 2008 Tour de France, wearing the green jersey
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Freire at the 2011 Danmark Rundt
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Freire in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Óscar Freire para niños
