Rabobank rider on antibiotics for respiratory infection
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Oscar Freire (Rabobank)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) tries to fix his damaged bicycle following his crash.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Riders make their way around Oscar Freire (Rabobank), who crashed on the descent of Le Manie.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Oscar Freire's good early season seems to have ground to a halt. After a crash ended his chances in Milan-San Remo last weekend, the Rabobank Spaniard may now have to miss Gent-Wevelgem with a respiratory infection.
Freire, 35, is being treated with antibiotics, and his participation in Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday is not certain, reported De Telegraaf, although the team assumes he will be able to ride.
The three-time world champion scored early this year, winning two stages at the Vuelta a Andalucia, and was on the Rabobank team which won the team time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico.
He started Milan-San Remo looking for his fourth win, but was stopped by a crash on the wet descent of the Manie climb with more than 80km to go. He was in the lead group at the time, but went down on a curve.
The Spaniard was not injured, but needed a new bike and a new shoe, and it simply took too much time for the team car to get to him. He never caught back up with the leaders and finished the race 5:23 down, in his worst-ever placing of 94th.
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