Home » Top Stories » News and Features »

Javier Otxoa to ride final race

By VeloNews Interactive wire services , Copyright AFP2002
Published: Nov. 7, 2002

Javier Otxoa, the Kelme pro who survived a horrendous accident in which his twin brother was killed will end 21 months of anguish by racing again this Sunday.

However it will be a farewell gesture to the professional peloton for the 28-year-old Spaniard, who beat four-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to a stage win in 2000 when he finished 13th overall.

"It will be his final race. He'll be saying farewell to professional cycling," his other brother Andoni told AFP on Thursday.

Otxoa's physical and neurological injuries have effectively ended all hopes of continuing his profession.

He was treated for head, back and spinal chord injuries as well as fractured ribs and broken bones in his arms and legs. From now on, only participation in the Paralympics would realistically give him any chance of victory. "Javier is okay. Physically, he still limps a little bit but with a lot of training he's much better than he was. It's mainly the neurological injuries that he sustained that cause problems," Andoni Otxoa added.

Javier himself knows his career as a professional rider is over.

"I'm still feeling the ill effects (of the accident) and I know I will in the future,” he told the Basque radio station Easkadi last month. “As for competing professionally, it's difficult. Some of my injuries were quite serious but I'm trying to train and to get fitter." Javier and his family's anguish began in February 2001 when a car smashed into both brothers, who were riding for the Kelme team at the time, while they were training near Malaga in the south of Spain. Ricardo was pronounced dead on the way to hospital and Javier fell into a coma which lasted two months. The news evoked anger in Spain, which already has a less than impressive record of road fatalities, and there were mass demonstrations. Sunday's race, the 13th edition of an International Criterium held around the Valencia region, will also provide another popular Spanish rider with a farewell stage.

Former world champion Abraham Olano, at 32 years old, has also chosen the race which he won in 1999 to end his career. But it will be Otxoa's presence, which is sure to remind his former colleagues of cycling's occupational hazards, that will evoke most emotion.

"I'm under no illusions," Otxoa continued. "I know I'll now have to ride in the Paralympics against people who are handicapped."

His priority, however, is "not to throw in the towel".

"I really want to ride again,” he said. “I would love to have been able to ride in the Tour de France or the Vuelta (Tour of Spain) again as a professional. Although it's going to be much different for me now, I want to give the best I can no matter what level its at." Otxoa added he was "just happy to be able to see some old team-mates, and say farewell to the public."

Copyright AFP2002