Óscar Freire

Óscar Freire Gomez (born 1976) is a Spanish cyclist. He is known as a descent sprinter, but he is also strong in hilly races.

He became professional in 1998 at the Vitalicio Seguros team. That year he only won a stage in the Vuelta a Castilla y Léon . The next year he was (until October) less successful. He got a ticket for the Spanish team at the World Championship in Verona, but only because they couldn't find someone else. The World Championship would be his last race, thereafter he would end his season. But, by complete surprise, he became world champion, beating a group with important favorites. A photograph of Freire, taken just after he won, in which he is calling his grandmother (who had no television) he had won became famous. He spent the money he won on an elevator for his grandmother's apartment.

The next year he got a contract with the then best cycling team Mapei . That year he won 11 races, including two stages in the Vuelta a España, and he finished second at the World Championship. In 2001 he became world champion again. In 2002 he was less successful, but still he won a stage in the Tour de France. In 2003 he moved to the Rabobank team. 2004 was a more successful year again. He won Milan-San Remo and became world champion (again in Verona) for the third time, a record he shares with Alfredo Binda, Rik van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx.