Javier Otxoa

Javier Otxoa

Personal information
Full name	Javier Otxoa Palacios
Born	August 30, 1974 (1974-08-30) (age 37)  Spain
Team information
Discipline	Road & Track
Role	Rider
Professional team(s)
1997–2001	Kelme cycling team
Major wins
1 stage - 2000 Tour de France Gold medal - 2004 Summer Paralympics Gold medal - 2008 Summer Paralympics
Infobox last updated on January 7, 2009

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Otxoa and the second or maternal family name is Palacios.

Javier Otxoa Palacios (born 30 August 1974, Barakaldo, Greater Bilbao, Basque Country) is a Spanish cyclist, formerly of the Kelme cycling team. His name is sometimes spelled Javier Ochoa in media reports.

In 2000 Otxoa won a heavy mountain stage in the Tour de France on top of the Hautacam.^[1] In February 2001 a car hit him and his twin brother Ricardo during training. Ricardo died. Javier survived but was in a coma for a month and became seriously disabled.^[2] He continued cycling, however. In the 2004 Summer Paralympics he won a gold in the road race/time trial event and a silver in the individual pursuit.

Otxoa was disqualified during the preliminary round of the individual pursuit (CP 3) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, for riding too close behind his opponent, Darren Kenny, who had overtaken him.^[3] Kenny stated that he was disappointed by this as he would have liked to compete against Otxoa in the final.^[4]

Otxoa currently resides in Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga.^[5]

Palmarès

1996

General Classification Circuito Montañés

2000

13th Tour de France:

1st Stage 10, Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia

2nd Mountains classification

2004

1st Road race/time trial, 2004 Summer Paralympics

2nd Pursuit, 2004 Summer Paralympics

2008

1st time trial, 2008 Summer Paralympics

2nd road race, 2008 Summer Paralympics

References

1. ^ "Official results for Javier Otxoa". Tour de France. http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/TDF/riders/us/668.html. 
2. ^ "Cycling Memorials – Ricardo and Javier Otxoa". Daily Peloton. 2003-09-25. http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=4913. 
3. ^ "Three Paralympics Golds for GB". Velodrome.org.uk. 2008-09-08. http://www.velodrome.org.uk/paralympics08d1.html. Retrieved 2008-09-08. 
4. ^ "Paralympics 2008 - Track Day 1". British Cycling. 2008-09-07. http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/gbr/OlympicGames2008/20080907_paralympics_track_day_one.asp. Retrieved 2008-09-08. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "Athlete Biography - OCHOA Javier". Beijing Olympics official website. http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/BIO/Athlete/6/1207086.shtml. 

External links

• (Spanish) Javier Otxoa website
• Javier Otxoa profile at Cycling Archives

Persondata
Name	Otxoa Palacios, Javier
Alternative names
Short description	Road bicycle racer
Date of birth	1974-8-30
Place of birth	Baracaldo
Date of death
Place of death