# Thomas Frischknecht

Thomas Frischknecht (born 17 February 1970 in Feldbach, Switzerland) is a former Swiss mountain bike and cyclo-cross racer, often called Europe's Elder Statesman of mountain biking, 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.

## 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.
In 1996 he was second at the World Cross-country Mountain Bike Championships, but after France's Jérôme 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.
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.
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.
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. Ritchey's Swiss Cross frame draws its name from Fischknecht. Other major sponsors include Swisspower, an electric utility consortium, and Scott bicycles.
Frischknecht was author of a book on mountain biking, Richtig Mountainbiken. He is currently involved with the Frischi Bike School in the Engadin/St. Moritz area of Switzerland.

## Major results
### Mountain bike
#### 1990

    2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
    2nd Overall XC World Cup

#### 1991

    2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
    3rd Cross-country, UEC European Championships

#### 1992

    1st Overall XC World Cup
       1st Mont-Sainte-Anne
       1st Landgraaf
       1st Strathpeffer
       1st Mount Snow
       2nd Hunter Mountain
    2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships

#### 1993

    1st Cross-country, UEC European Championships
    1st Overall XC World Cup
       1st Barcelona
       1st Mount Snow
       2nd Bassano del Grappa
       2nd Mont-Sainte-Anne
       3rd Bromont

#### 1994

    1st Cross-country, National Championships
    UCI XC World Cup
       1st Mount Snow
       1st Mont-Sainte-Anne
       2nd Madrid
       3rd Lenzerheide

#### 1995

    1st Overall XC World Cup
       1st Vail
       1st Mammoth Lakes
       2nd Houffalize
       3rd Cairns
       3rd Budapest

#### 1996

    1st Cross-country, UCI World Championships
    1st Cross-country, National Championships
    2nd Overall UCI XC World Cup
       1st Lisbon
       1st Sankt Wendel
       1st Kualoa Ranch
       2nd Mount Helen
       3rd Bromont
    2nd Cross-country, Olympic Games
    2nd Overall XC World Cup

#### 1997

    1st Cross-country, National Championships
    UCI XC World Cup
       1st Sankt Wendel

#### 1998

    1st Cross-country, National Championships
    UCI XC World Cup
       1st Budapest
       3rd Napa Valley
    3rd Cross-country, UEC European Championships

#### 1999

    UCI XC World Cup
       1st Canmore

#### 2000

    UCI XC World Cup
       2nd Lausanne

#### 2001

    UCI XC World Cup
       1st Kaprun
    2nd Cross-country, UCI World Championships

#### 2002

    2nd Cross-country, National Championships
    3rd Cross-country, UCI World Championships
    3rd Overall XC World Cup

#### 2003

    1st Marathon, UCI World Championships
    UCI XC World Cup
       2nd Kaprun

#### 2004

    3rd Cross-country, UCI World Championships

#### 2005

    1st Marathon, UCI World Championships
    2nd Cross-country, National Championships

#### 2017

    1st Overall Mixed Cape Epic (with Jenny Rissveds)

### Cyclo-cross
#### 1987–1988

    1st UCI World Junior Championships

#### 1989–1990

    Superprestige
       1st Rome
       3rd Zürich-Waid
    1st Eschenbach
    3rd UCI World Amateur Championships

#### 1990–1991

    1st UCI World Amateur Championships
    1st Meilen
    Superprestige
       2nd Zarautz
       2nd Wetzikon
       3rd Rome
       3rd Overijse
    2nd Eschenbach
    2nd Steinmaur

#### 1991–1992

    Superprestige
       1st Overijse
       1st Wetzikon
       2nd Zarautz
       3rd Harnes
    1st Berlin
    2nd Volketswil
    2nd Muntelier
    2nd Vossem
    3rd UCI World Amateur Championships
    3rd Eschenbach
    3rd Leeds

#### 1992–1993

    2nd Overall Superprestige
       1st Rome
       2nd Plzeň
       2nd Zarautz
       2nd Overijse
       2nd Asper-Gavere
       2nd Zillebeke
    1st Sankt-Gallen
    1st Berlin
    1st Liestal
    1st Lyss
    1st Gansingen
    1st Dagmersellen
    1st Solbiate Olona
    2nd National Championships
    2nd Brouilly
    2nd Meilen
    3rd Zürich

#### 1993–1994

    3rd Overall Superprestige
       1st Asper-Gavere
       1st Wetzikon
       2nd Diegem
       2nd Milan
       2nd Westouter-Zillebeke
    1st Berlin
    2nd National Championships
    2nd Sankt-Gallen
    3rd Hombrechtikon

#### 1994–1995

    1st Dagmersellen
    2nd Hombrechtikon

#### 1995–1996

    2nd Solbiate Olona
    2nd Volketswil
    2nd Sankt-Gallen
    3rd National Championships
    3rd Langenthal
    3rd Dagmersellen
    3rd Hombrechtikon
    3rd Liestal
    UCI World Cup
       5th Pontchâteau

#### 1996–1997

    1st National Championships
    1st Gansingen
    2nd UCI World Championships
    Superprestige
       2nd Wetzikon
    2nd Sankt-Gallen
    2nd Uster
    UCI World Cup
       3rd Heerlen
       4th Koksijde
       4th Nommay
    3rd Meilen
    3rd Hombrechtikon

#### 1997–1998

    2nd Magstadt
    2nd Volketswil
    3rd National Championships
    UCI World Cup
       4th Solbiate Olona

#### 1998–1999

    1st National Championships
    UCI World Cup
       1st Zeddam
       4th Nommay
    1st Hombrechtikon
    1st Meilen
    1st Magstadt
    2nd Rüti
    3rd Uster
    5th UCI World Championships

#### 1999–2000

    1st Liestal
    1st Obergösgen
    2nd National Championships
    2nd Hittnau
    2nd Hombrechtikon
    2nd Dagmersellen

#### 2000–2001

    1st Magstadt
    1st Safenwil
    2nd Obergösgen
    2nd Hombrechtikon

#### 2001–2002

    1st National Championships
    1st Castelnuovo
    1st Dagmersellen
    2nd Obergösgen

#### 2002–2003

    1st Hittnau
    1st Dagmersellen
    1st Hombrechtikon
    1st Rennen Russikon
    2nd Meilen
    2nd Zürich
    3rd Frenkendorf

#### 2003–2004

    2nd National Championships
    2nd Magstadt
    2nd Frenkendorf
    2nd Hittnau
    2nd Rüti
    2nd Steinmaur
    3rd Uster

#### 2004–2005

    1st San Mateo I
    1st San Mateo II
    2nd Steinmaur
    3rd Sint-Niklaas
    3rd Rüti
    3rd Dagmersellen

#### 2005–2006

    1st Magstadt
    2nd Steinmaur

#### 2006–2007

    2nd Frenkendorf
    2nd Rüti
    3rd Dagmersellen
    3rd Dübendorf

#### 2007–2008

    2nd National Championships
    2nd Dagmersellen
    2nd Dübendorf
    3rd Schmerikon

#### 2008–2009

    1st Steinmaur