Triple World Champion Óscar Friere is set to retire at the end of the 2010 season when his current contract with the Rabobank team ends. In what will be his final season as a professional, Freire has also decided to change things up, telling Biciclismo that he will be taking part in the Giro d'Italia in May - his first ever participation in the Italian Grand Tour.
Also included on Freire's race program is the Tour de France, meaning that he will likely miss his home Tour, the Vuelta a Espana, to bid home fans a farewell.
The Spaniard has had a long successful career with his highlights including three rainbow jersey's, two wins in Milan San Remo and four stages in Tour de France as well as the green jersey competition.
“I’ve had long and rich career. At the end of my contract with Rabobank I will be 35. That is nice time to end my career,” Freire said on the Rabobank website last September.
“I’ve always felt comfortable in this team. To end my career with Rabobank is nice and fitting.”
Freire will begin the year on home soil at the Mallorca Challenge and the Ruta del Sol. He will then take part in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and Tirreno-Adriatico to fine tune his form for an attempt at a third victory in Milan-Sanremo. From Italy, he will again head north to take part in semi-classics E3-Prijs and Gent-Wevelgem, the latter being moved to a more prominent Sunday slot on the Belgian calendar. Depending on his form, he will then take part in either the Tour of Flanders or the Tour of the Basque Country, which will then lead him into Brabantse Pijl and the two Grand Tours of Italy and France.
Óscar Friere's race program for 2010:
Mallorca Challenge (7-11 February)
Ruta del Sol (21-25 February)
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne (February 28)
Tirreno-Adriatico (10-16 March)
Milan-Sanremo (March 20)
E3-Prijs Harelbeke (March 27)
Gent-Wevelgem (March 28)
Tour of Flanders (April 4) or Tour of the Basque Country (5-10 April)
Brabantse Pijl (April 14)
Giro d'Italia (8-30 May)
Tour de France (3-25 July)