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]
 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 | Retired |
| Discipline |
|
| Role | Rider |
| Professional teams | |
| 1990–2000 | Ritchey |
| 2001–2008 | Swisspower |
| Major wins | |
| |
Medal record | |
Biography
editFrischi (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.
Major results
editMountain bike
edit- 1990
- 2nd
Cross-country, UCI World Championships - 2nd Overall XC World Cup
- 1991
- 2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
- 3rd
Cross-country, UEC European Championships - 1992
- 1st
Overall XC World Cup
- 1st Mont-Sainte-Anne
- 1st Landgraaf
- 1st Strathpeffer
- 1st Mount Snow
- 2nd Hunter Mountain
- 2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
- 1993
- 1st
Cross-country, UEC European Championships - 1st Overall XC World Cup
- 1st Barcelona
- 1st Mount Snow
- 2nd Bassano del Grappa
- 2nd Mont-Sainte-Anne
- 3rd Bromont
- 1994
- 1st
Cross-country, National Championships - UCI XC World Cup
- 1st Mount Snow
- 1st Mont-Sainte-Anne
- 2nd Madrid
- 3rd Lenzerheide
- 1995
- 1st Overall XC World Cup
- 1st Vail
- 1st Mammoth Lakes
- 2nd Houffalize
- 3rd Cairns
- 3rd Budapest
- 1996
- 1st
Cross-country, UCI World Championships - 1st Cross-country, National Championships
- 2nd Overall UCI XC World Cup
- 1st Lisbon
- 1st Sankt Wendel
- 1st Kualoa Ranch
- 2nd Mount Helen
- 3rd Bromont
- 2nd
Cross-country, Olympic Games - 2nd Overall XC World Cup
- 1997
- 1st Cross-country, National Championships
- UCI XC World Cup
- 1st Sankt Wendel
- 1998
- 1st Cross-country, National Championships
- UCI XC World Cup
- 1st Budapest
- 3rd Napa Valley
- 3rd Cross-country, UEC European Championships
- 1999
- UCI XC World Cup
- 1st Canmore
- 2000
- UCI XC World Cup
- 2nd Lausanne
- 2001
- UCI XC World Cup
- 1st Kaprun
- 2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
- 2002
- 2nd Cross-country, National Championships
- 3rd
Cross-country, UCI World Championships - 3rd Overall XC World Cup
- 2003
- 1st Marathon, UCI World Championships
- UCI XC World Cup
- 2nd Kaprun
- 2004
- 3rd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
- 2005
- 1st Marathon, UCI World Championships
- 2nd Cross-country, National Championships
- 2017
- 1st
Overall Mixed Cape Epic (with Jenny Rissveds)
Cyclo-cross
edit- 1987–1988
- 1st UCI World Junior Championships
- 1989–1990
- Superprestige
- 1st Rome
- 3rd Zürich-Waid
- 1st Eschenbach
- 3rd UCI World Amateur Championships
- 1990–1991
- 1st UCI World Amateur Championships
- 1st Meilen
- Superprestige
- 2nd Eschenbach
- 2nd Steinmaur
- 1991–1992
- Superprestige
- 1st Overijse
- 1st Wetzikon
- 2nd Zarautz
- 3rd Harnes
- 1st Berlin
- 2nd Volketswil
- 2nd Muntelier
- 2nd Vossem
- 3rd UCI World Amateur Championships
- 3rd Eschenbach
- 3rd Leeds
- 1992–1993
- 2nd Overall Superprestige
- 1st Rome
- 2nd Plzeň
- 2nd Zarautz
- 2nd Overijse
- 2nd Asper-Gavere
- 2nd Zillebeke
- 1st Sankt-Gallen
- 1st Berlin
- 1st Liestal
- 1st Lyss
- 1st Gansingen
- 1st Dagmersellen
- 1st Solbiate Olona
- 2nd National Championships
- 2nd Brouilly
- 2nd Meilen
- 3rd Zürich
- 1993–1994
- 3rd Overall Superprestige
- 1st Asper-Gavere
- 1st Wetzikon
- 2nd Diegem
- 2nd Milan
- 2nd Westouter-Zillebeke
- 1st Berlin
- 2nd National Championships
- 2nd Sankt-Gallen
- 3rd Hombrechtikon
- 1994–1995
- 1st Dagmersellen
- 2nd Hombrechtikon
- 1995–1996
- 2nd Solbiate Olona
- 2nd Volketswil
- 2nd Sankt-Gallen
- 3rd National Championships
- 3rd Langenthal
- 3rd Dagmersellen
- 3rd Hombrechtikon
- 3rd Liestal
- UCI World Cup
- 5th Pontchâteau
- 1996–1997
- 1st National Championships
- 1st Gansingen
- 2nd UCI World Championships
- Superprestige
- 2nd Wetzikon
- 2nd Sankt-Gallen
- 2nd Uster
- UCI World Cup
- 3rd Meilen
- 3rd Hombrechtikon
- 1997–1998
- 2nd Magstadt
- 2nd Volketswil
- 3rd National Championships
- UCI World Cup
- 4th Solbiate Olona
- 1998–1999
- 1st National Championships
- UCI World Cup
- 1st Zeddam
- 4th Nommay
- 1st Hombrechtikon
- 1st Meilen
- 1st Magstadt
- 2nd Rüti
- 3rd Uster
- 5th UCI World Championships
- 1999–2000
- 1st Liestal
- 1st Obergösgen
- 2nd National Championships
- 2nd Hittnau
- 2nd Hombrechtikon
- 2nd Dagmersellen
- 2000–2001
- 1st Magstadt
- 1st Safenwil
- 2nd Obergösgen
- 2nd Hombrechtikon
- 2001–2002
- 1st National Championships
- 1st Castelnuovo
- 1st Dagmersellen
- 2nd Obergösgen
- 2002–2003
- 1st Hittnau
- 1st Dagmersellen
- 1st Hombrechtikon
- 1st Rennen Russikon
- 2nd Meilen
- 2nd Zürich
- 3rd Frenkendorf
- 2003–2004
- 2nd National Championships
- 2nd Magstadt
- 2nd Frenkendorf
- 2nd Hittnau
- 2nd Rüti
- 2nd Steinmaur
- 3rd Uster
- 2004–2005
- 1st San Mateo I
- 1st San Mateo II
- 2nd Steinmaur
- 3rd Sint-Niklaas
- 3rd Rüti
- 3rd Dagmersellen
- 2005–2006
- 1st Magstadt
- 2nd Steinmaur
- 2006–2007
- 2nd Frenkendorf
- 2nd Rüti
- 3rd Dagmersellen
- 3rd Dübendorf
- 2007–2008
- 2nd National Championships
- 2nd Dagmersellen
- 2nd Dübendorf
- 3rd Schmerikon
- 2008–2009
- 1st Steinmaur
References
edit- ^ 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
edit- Thomas Frischknecht’s home page
- Swisspower Mountainbike Team
- Frischi Bike School
- Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
- Thomas Frischknecht at Cycling Archives
- Thomas Frischknecht at ProCyclingStats
- Thomas Frischknecht at CycleBase
- Thomas Frischknecht at Olympedia
