Freire gives it another whirl, signs on for 2010
- By VeloNews.com
- Published Dec. 10, 2009
It seems rumors of his retirement were greatly exaggerated.
Three-time world champion Oscar Freire will be back at Rabobank for 2010 and has been confirmed to start the Ruta del Sol in February in Spain.
Following a rather lackluster, two-win campaign in 2009, there were some rumors that Freire was going to hang up the cleats for good. The bizarre incident when he was shot by air rifle during stage 13 during the 2009 Tour de France didn’t seem to bolster his enthusiasm.
Rabobank and Ruta del Sol officials have confirmed that Freire will be back in the saddle for 2010 and will be riding in the No. 1 start bib for the five-day Spanish stage race in sunny Andalucía.
Freire won the Ruta del Sol overall title in 2007 and has raced eight times in career at the race.
Rabobank will be returning as defending champion, but without the services of last year’s winner Joost Posthuma.
Joining Freire will be such riders as Juan Manuel Garate, winner of the Mont Ventoux stage in last year’s Tour, and Kai Reus.
The race will run Feb. 21-25 in southern Spain.