Urs Freuler
Urs Freuler (born 6 November 1958 in Bilten, Canton of Glarus) is a Swiss cyclist, who raced professionally between 1980 and 1997, during which he won 124 victories. He was named Swiss Sports Personality of the Year in 1982 and 1983.
Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Urs Freuler |
Born | Bilten, Switzerland | 6 November 1958
Team information | |
Current team | Retired |
Discipline | Track and Road |
Role | Rider |
Rider type | Sprinter, Time Trial Specialist |
Major wins | |
Grand Tours
World Champion Keirin (2x) |
He was born in Bilten. As an amateur, he was the champion of his country in several categories and also achieved fame in international competitions.
He was a racer of great speed, who participated both in road races as well as track cycling. In the latter, he was the world champion in the keirin twice and the points race eight times and victor in 21 six-day races. On the road, he was victorious in numerous stages and criteriums. He competed in the team pursuit event at the 1980 Summer Olympics.[1]
In 1981, Freuler was riding for a personal sponsor, when the TI–Raleighcycling team had problems to form a team for the 1981 Tour de France. The rules allowed for the Raleigh team to hire cyclists who were not riding for a cycling team, and Freuler was added to the Tour squad.[2] Because Freuler, as a still young professional and with contracts for a full winter season of Six Days coming up, his team leader Peter Post and Freuler agreed that Freuler, although capable of taking on mountain stages, had to leave the race before the Alps would be visited.[3] Freuler, who acted as a replacement for sprinter Jan Raas, was able to win with TI–Raleighthe two team time trials and stage 7, and left the race in stage 15. After that he never started in the Tour again,.[4] Freuler, for the chief part of his career riding for Italian teams, did win in another of the three Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia, from 1982 to 1989 in total 15 stages and the points classification in 1984.
Major results
Track cycling
- World champion of points race in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1989
- World champion of Keirin in 1983 and 1985
- European champion of sprint in 1981
- 21 six-day races from 1981 to 1994, with Patrick Sercu, Robert Dill-Bundi, Hans Känel, René Pijnen, Daniel Gisiger, Horst Schütz, Dietrich Thurau, Roman Hermann, Danny Clark, Olaf Ludwig, Remig Stumpf and lastly Carsten Wolf in 1994.
- Swiss champion of resistance in 1981, 1983, 1986, and 1987
- Swiss champion of points race in 1981, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992
- Swiss champion of individual pursuit in 1985
Road bicycle racing
- 1981
- Stage of the Tour de Romandie
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- Stage of the Tour de France
- 1982
- Three stages of the Giro d'Italia
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- 1983
- Two stages of the Tour de Suisse
- 1984
- Winner of 4 stages
- points classification
- 1985
- Three stages of the Giro d'Italia
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- 1986
- Stage of the Giro d'Italia
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- 1987
- Stage of the Giro d'Italia
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- 1988
- Stage of the Giro d'Italia
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- 1989
- Two stages of the Giro d'Italia
- Two stages of the Tour de Romandie
- Stage of the Tour de Suisse
- Stage of the Tirreno–Adriatico
- 1990
- Two stages of the Tour de Romandie
- Stage of the Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
References
- "Urs Freuler Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- "Post wil vaker coureurs op huurbasis aantrekken". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 3 July 1981. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- "Freuler voor Alpen verplicht naar huis". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 3 July 1981. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- "The Tour: Urs Freuler". Amaury Sports Organisation. Archived from the original on 16 July 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
External links
- Urs Freuler at Cycling Archives