Thomas Frischknecht
 Frischknecht in 1996 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Frischknecht |
| Nickname | Frischi |
| Born | 17 February 1970 Feldbach, Switzerland |
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Swisspower |
| Discipline | MTB |
| Role | Rider |
| Professional teams | |
| 1990-2000 | Ritchey |
| 2001- | Swisspower |
| Major wins | |
| World MTB Marathon Champion (2003, 2005) World MTB Cross Country Champion (1996) | |
show
Medal record | |
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]
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. 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 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 (AUS)
- 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[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Thomas Frischknecht". Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. 1999. Archived from the original on 30 June 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ "Men, Mountain Bike World Cup". UCI. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
- ^ "Doping statement". Frischknecht's home page. Archived from the original on March 18, 2005. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
- ^ "News for May 25, 2000: Chiotti hands it back". Cycling News. May 25, 2000. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
- ^ "Interview: Thomas Frischknecht". Bike Radar. August 12, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
- ^ "CycloX World Cup: Coupe du Monde - 1998-1999". Union Cycliste Internationale. January 3, 1999. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
External links[]
- Thomas Frischknecht’s home page
- Swisspower Mountainbike Team
- Frischi Bike School
- Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
- Thomas Frischknecht at Cycling Archives
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- 1970 births
- Living people
- People from Meilen District
- Swiss male cyclists
- Olympic cyclists of Switzerland
- Cyclists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Cyclo-cross cyclists
- Cross-country mountain bikers
- Marathon mountain bikers
- Olympic medalists in cycling
- UCI Mountain Bike World Champions (men)
- Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medalists for Switzerland