Thomas Frischknecht

Thomas Frischknecht (born 17 February 1970 in Feldbach, Switzerland) is a former 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]

Thomas Frischknecht
Frischknecht in 1996
Personal information
Full nameThomas Frischknecht
NicknameFrischi
Born (1970-02-17) 17 February 1970
Feldbach, Switzerland
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Team information
Current teamSwisspower
DisciplineMTB
RoleRider
Professional teams
1990-2000Ritchey
2001-Swisspower
Major wins
World MTB Marathon Champion (2003, 2005)
World MTB Cross Country Champion (1996)
Medal record
Representing   Switzerland
Men's mountain bike racing
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta Cross Country
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1996 Cairns Cross Country
Gold medal – first place 2003 Lugano Marathon
Gold medal – first place 2005 Lillehammer Marathon
Silver medal – second place 1990 Durango Cross Country
Silver medal – second place 1991 Ciocco Cross Country
Silver medal – second place 1992 Bromont Cross Country
Silver medal – second place 2001 Vail Cross Country
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Kaprun Cross Country
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Les Gets Cross Country
Men's cyclo-cross
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1997 MunichElite Men's Race

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 Jérôme 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 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. Ritchey's Swiss Cross frame draws its name from Fischknecht. Other major sponsors include Swisspower, an electric utility consortium, and Scott bicycles.

Frischknecht was 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
1988
World Championship, Cyclo-cross, Juniors, Hagendorf
1989
Roma, Cyclo-cross (ITA)
1990
Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER)
1991
National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland (SUI)
Overijse, Cyclo-cross (BEL)
Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER)
Wetzikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
World Championship, Cyclo-cross, Amateurs, Gieten
1992
Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
Mont Sainte-Anne, Mountainbike (CAN)
Roma, Cyclo-cross (ITA)
Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER)
Landgraaf, Mountainbike (NED)
Strathpeffer, Mountainbike (GBR)
Mount Snow, Mountainbike (USA)
1993
European Championship, Mountainbike, Elite
Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER)
Wetzikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
1994
Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
Mont Sainte-Anne, Mountainbike (CAN)
1995
Vail, Mountainbike (USA)
Mammoth Lakes, Mountainbike (USA)
1996
World Championship, Mountainbike XC Elite, Cairns
Sankt-Wendel, Mountainbike (GER)
Gansingen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
1997
National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland, Liestal (SUI)
Sankt-Wendel, Mountainbike (GER)
1998
Budapest, Mountainbike (HUN)
Hombrechtikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
1999
Meilen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
Zeddam, Cyclo-cross (NED)
Magstadt, Cyclo-cross (GER)
National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland, Eschenbach (SUI)
Canmore, Mountainbike (CAN)
Liestal, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
Obergögsen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
2001
Safenwil, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
Magstadt, Cyclo-cross (GER)
Kaprun, Mountainbike (AUT)
Castelnuovo, Cyclo-cross (ITA)
Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
2002
Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland (SUI)
Hittnau, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
San Mateo, Cyclo-cross (USA)
Hombrechtikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
2003
World Championship, Mountainbike Marathon
Russikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI)
2004
San Mateo, Cyclo-cross (b) (USA)
San Mateo, Cyclo-cross (USA)
2005
World Championship, Mountainbike Marathon, Lillehammer (NOR)
Magstadt, Cyclo-cross (GER)
2017
Absa Cape Epic Mixed category (RSA)

References
  1. "Thomas Frischknecht". Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. 1999. Archived from the original on 30 June 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  2. "Men, Mountain Bike World Cup". UCI. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
  3. "Doping statement". Frischknecht's home page. Archived from the original on March 18, 2005. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
  4. "News for May 25, 2000: Chiotti hands it back". Cycling News. May 25, 2000. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
  5. "Interview: Thomas Frischknecht". Bike Radar. August 12, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
  6. "CycloX World Cup: Coupe du Monde - 1998-1999". Union Cycliste Internationale. January 3, 1999. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.