Thomas Frischknecht

Thomas Frischknecht

Frischknecht in 1996
Personal information
Full name	Thomas Frischknecht
Nickname	Frischi
Born	(1970-02-17) February 17, 1970 Feldbach, Switzerland
Height	1.76 m
Weight	69 kg
Team information
Current team	Swisspower
Discipline	MTB
Role	Rider
Professional team(s)
1990-2000 2001-	Ritchey Swisspower
Major wins
World MTB Marathon Champion (2003, 2005) World MTB Cross Country Champion (1996)
Medal record Competitor for   Switzerland Mountain bike racing Olympic Games Silver 1996 Atlanta Cross Country World Championships Gold 2005 Marathon Gold 2003 Marathon Gold 1996 Cross Country Silver 2001 Cross Country Silver 1992 Cross Country Silver 1991 Cross Country Silver 1990 Cross Country Bronze 2004 Cross Country Bronze 2002 Cross Country Cyclo-cross World Championships Silver 1997 Munich Elite Men's Race
Infobox last updated on January 17, 2007

Thomas Frischknecht (born February 17, 1970 in Feldbach, Switzerland) is a Swiss mountain bike and cyclo-cross 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]

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 Cross-country Mountain Bike 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. The next day he competed in the men's road race on a Ritchey cyclocross bike after fellow Swiss team member Tony Rominger fell ill. He finished the race in the middle of the pack.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.

Victories

References

External links

• Thomas Frischknecht’s home page
• Swisspower Mountainbike Team
• Frischi Bike School
• Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
• Thomas Frischknecht profile at Cycling Archives

Olympic Games
Preceded by Stefan Schärer	Flagbearer for   Switzerland Sydney 2000	Succeeded by Roger Federer