Stopping Vuelta doesn’t affect triple winner’s position on team
Although he withdrew from the Vuelta a España due to illness, thus having less than ideal preparation, the Spanish cycling federation’s faith in Oscar Freire’s ability to get himself into top shape means that he has been declared the sole captain of the Spanish team for the world road race championships.
Freire won the Elite title in 1999, 2001 and 2004, and has a chance to become the first rider ever to win four rainbow jerseys at that level. He is currently equal to Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx, who have three apiece.
In the past he has been able to shine despite disrupted preparation, famously winning his first world title despite being plagued by injury for much of that season. National cycling coach Jose Luis De Santos announced the dozen-rider shortlist in recent days and is clear that the team will dedicate itself completely to Freire, who he describes as the ‘sole team leader.’
“This is a team designed to help Oscar Freire, who will be our only team leader for a world championship which does not have many complications,” he said, according to El Mundo. “The accumulated climbs total only 2,000 meters, but as always the race will be hard and the team will work to take Oscar in the best possible condition to that sprint, while at the same time getting rid of faster opponents who could be dangerous.”
He said then that Freire’s first priority was to recover from the illness which caused him to quit the Spanish tour and then get back to training. “It’s a shame he has left the Vuelta, but Freire is a professional with a lot of experience and it is sure that he will be in the best form in Copenhagen.”
De Santos listed twelve riders as being part of the long list for the race. They are Freire, Carlos Barredo, Juan Manuel Gárate and Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank), Imanol Erviti, Pablo Lastras and José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar), Egoi Martínez and Koldo Fernández de Larrea (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky Procycling), Vicente Reynés (Omega-Pharma Lotto) and Luis Ángel Maté (Cofidis).
He has left Fran Ventoso to one side, saying that the rider has had a very long season. Ventoso recently confirmed that he was ending his season with last Sunday’s GP Ouest France.
Nine of those on the long list will take part, including Freire. He already seems to have narrowed down some of the others. “Rojas will be the ride who will be with Freire until the end, although there are other fast riders such as Koldo or Reynés. The rest of the team will each work at a specified point in the race.”
The time trial will be disputed by Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Jesus Herrada (Movistar). De Santos said that the aim this year was not to chase results, but instead to select young riders to build towards the future.