Thomas Frischknecht

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Thomas Frischknecht
Personal information
Nickname Frischi
Date of birth February 17, 1970
Country Switzerland
Team information
Current team Swisspower
Rider type Mountain bike racing
Professional team(s)
1990–2000
2001–		 Ritchey
Swisspower
Major wins
1st, 1996 Mountain Bike World Championships
Silver Medal, 1996 Olympic Games

Thomas Frischknecht (born February 17, 1970 in Feldbach, Switzerland) is a Swiss mountain bike racer, often called Europe's Elder Statesman of mountain biking[1], because of his extraordinarily long career at the top level of the sport. A professional since 1990, he was on top of the Mountain Bike World Championship podium for the first time in 1996 and most recently in 2004[2].

Contents

[edit] Biography

Frischi (as he is called) advocates staying 'fit for life' and dope free racing. He is considered an excellent example of a clean sportsman [1] [3].

In 1996 he was second at the World Championships, but after France's Jerome Chiotti confessed having used EPO when he won the title that year, he got the rainbow jersey from Chiotti, handed over as a friendly act in an unofficial ceremony[4].

He won the Olympic silver medal in 1996.

Frischknecht also competes in cyclo-cross, where he won an Amateur World Champion title, was Vice World Champion in 1997 and is a multiple-time Swiss Champion[5].

Thomas is married and has two children. Thomas's father was a cyclo-cross racer as well, winning three silver medals at World Championships. He won a Swiss stage race called Grandprixtell in the early 1990s[citation needed], and took part in the Olympic Road Race in 1996[citation needed].

Thomas first traveled to America in 1990 to compete in the then new genre of mountain biking. He became closely linked to Tom Ritchey, a major bike-components producer, who provided support and became a mentor and a good friend. Ritchey has sponsored him ever since. Other major sponsors include Swisspower, an electric utility consortium, and Scott bicycles.

Frischknecht was multiple Swiss cyclist of the year[citation needed] and author of a book on mountain biking, Richtig Mountainbiken. He is currently involved with the Frischi Bike School in the Engadin/St. Moritz area of Switzerland.

[edit] Major victories

Mountain Bike

  • 1996: Olympic silver medal
  • 2003: Marathon World Champion
  • 1996: Cross Country World Champion
  • 1993: European Champion
  • 2002: World Championship Bronze medallist
  • 2002: World Championship Bronze medallist Team Relay
  • 2000: 6th place Olympic Games Sydney
  • 2002/04: World Championship Bronze Medal
  • 2004: 7th place Olympic Games Athens
  • 4-time Vice World Champion: 1990/91/92/2001
  • 3-time World Cup Champion: 1992/93/95
  • 17 World Cup victories

Cyclo-cross

  • 1988: Junior World Champion
  • 1991: Amateur World Champion
  • 1997: Elite Vice World Champion
  • 1990/92: World Championship Bronze medallist
  • 1 World Cup victory

Road

  • 1996: Olympic Team member
  • 1994: winner of 2 stages and points leader GP Tell
  • 1999: winner of final stage Giro del Ticino

Source: Frischknecht's bio page[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Thomas Frischknecht. Mountain Bike Hall of Fame (1999). Retrieved on July 25, 2006.
  2. ^ Men, Mountain Bike World Cup. UCI. Retrieved on July 25, 2006.
  3. ^ Doping statement. Frischknecht's home page. Retrieved on July 25, 2006.
  4. ^ News for May 25, 2000: Chiotti hands it back. Cycling News (May 25, 2000). Retrieved on July 25, 2006.
  5. ^ CycloX World Cup: Coupe du Monde - 1998-1999. Union Cycliste Internationale (Jan 3, 1999). Retrieved on July 25, 2006.
  6. ^ Thomas Frischknecht's bio page. frischi.ch. Retrieved on July 25, 2006.

[edit] External links

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