Thomas Frischknecht

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Thomas Frischknecht

---

image_caption = Frischknecht in 1996
fullname = Thomas Frischknecht
nickname = Frischi
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|2|17
country = SUI
height = 1.76 m
weight = 69 kg
currentteam = Swisspower
discipline = MTB
role = Rider
ridertype =
amateuryears =
amateurteams =
proyears = 1990-2000
2001-
proteams = Ritchey
Swisspower
majorwins = flagiconUCI World MTB Marathon Champion (2003, 2005)
flagiconUCI World MTB Cross Country Champion (1996)
updated = January 17, 2007

Thomas Frischknecht (born February 17, 1970 in Feldbach, Switzerland) is a Swiss mountain bike racer, often called Europe's "Elder Statesman" of mountain biking,cite web
title=Thomas Frischknecht
publisher=Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
url=http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/inductees.cfm?page=99&mID=84
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2006
date=1999 ] 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.cite web
title=Men, Mountain Bike World Cup
publisher=UCI
url=http://www.uci.ch/modello.asp?1stlevelid=CD&level1=4&level2=0&idnews=2653
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2006
date= ]

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.cite web
title=Thomas Frischknecht
publisher=Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
url=http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/inductees.cfm?page=99&mID=84
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2006
date=1999 ] cite web
title=Doping statement
publisher=Frischknecht's home page
url=http://www.frischi.ch/doping.asp
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2006
date= ]

In 1996 he was second at the World Championships, but after France's Jerome 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.cite web
title=News for May 25, 2000: Chiotti hands it back
publisher=Cycling News
url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2000/may00/may25news.shtml
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2006
date=May 25, 2000 ]

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.cite web
title=Interview: Thomas Frischknecht
publisher=Bike Radar
url=http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/interview-thomas-frischknecht-11663
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2008
date=August 12, 2008 ]

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.cite web
title=CycloX World Cup: Coupe du Monde - 1998-1999
publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale
url=http://www.uci.ch/english/cyclo_cross/cxwc98_99/cx5_98_99.htm
accessmonthday=July 25
accessyear=2006
date=January 3, 1999 ]

Thomas is married and has two children. Thomas's father was a cyclo-cross racer as well, winning three silver medals at World Championships. He won a Swiss stage race called "Grandprixtell" in the early 1990sFact|date=February 2007, and took part in the Olympic Road Race in 1996.Fact|date=February 2007

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 multiple Swiss cyclist of the yearFact|date=February 2007 and author of a book on mountain biking, "Richtig Mountainbiken". He is currently involved with the [http://www.frischibikeschool.ch 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): 1991: Overijse, Cyclo-cross (BEL): 1991: Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER): 1991: Wetzikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1991: World Championship, Cyclo-cross, Amateurs, Gieten: 1992: Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1992: Mont Sainte-Anne, Mountainbike (CAN): 1992: Roma, Cyclo-cross (ITA): 1992: Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER): 1992: Landgraaf, Mountainbike (NED): 1992: Strathpeffer, Mountainbike (GBR): 1992: Mount Snow, Mountainbike (USA): 1993: European Championship, Mountainbike, Elite: 1993: Schulteiss-Cup, Cyclo-cross (GER): 1993: Wetzikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1994: Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1994: Mont Sainte-Anne, Mountainbike (CAN): 1995: Vail, Mountainbike (USA): 1995: Mammoth Lakes, Mountainbike (USA): 1996: World Championship, Mountainbike XC Elite, Cairns: 1996: Sankt-Wendel, Mountainbike (GER): 1996: Gansingen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1997: National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland, Liestal (SUI): 1997: Sankt-Wendel, Mountainbike (GER): 1998: Budapest, Mountainbike (HUN): 1998: Hombrechtikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1999: Meilen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1999: Zeddam, Cyclo-cross (NED): 1999: Magstadt, Cyclo-cross (GER): 1999: National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland, Eschenbach (SUI): 1999: Canmore, Mountainbike (AUS): 1999: Liestal, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 1999: Obergögsen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2001: Safenwil, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2001: Magstadt, Cyclo-cross (GER): 2001: Kaprun, Mountainbike (AUT): 2001: Castelnuovo, Cyclo-cross (ITA): 2001: Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2002: Dagmersellen, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2002: National Championship, Cyclo-cross, Elite, Switzerland (SUI): 2002: Hittnau, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2002: San Mateo, Cyclo-cross (USA): 2002: Hombrechtikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2003: World Championship, Mountainbike Marathon: 2003: Russikon, Cyclo-cross (SUI): 2004: San Mateo, Cyclo-cross (b) (USA): 2004: San Mateo, Cyclo-cross (USA): 2005: World Championship, Mountainbike Marathon, Lillehammer (NOR): 2005: Magstadt, Cyclo-cross (GER)

References

External links

* [http://www.frischi.ch/ Thomas Frischknecht’s home page]
* [http://www.swisspowerteam.ch/ Swisspower Mountainbike Team]
* [http://www.frischibikeschool.ch Frischi Bike School]
* [http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/ Mountain Bike Hall of Fame]
*cyclingwebsite|5365