Javier Otxoa

Javier Otxoa

Javier Otxoa in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Javier Otxoa Palacios
Born	(1974-08-30) August 30, 1974 (age 38)  Spain
Team information
Discipline	Road & Track
Role	Rider
Professional team(s)
1997–2001	Kelme cycling team
Major wins
1 stage - 2000 Tour de France Gold medal - 2004 Summer Paralympics Gold medal - 2008 Summer Paralympics
Infobox last updated on January 7, 2009

Javier Otxoa Palacios (born 30 August 1974, Barakaldo, Greater Bilbao, Basque Country) is a Spanish cyclist, formerly of the Kelme cycling team. His name is sometimes spelled Javier Ochoa in media reports.

Road cycling career [edit]

In 2000 Otxoa won a heavy mountain stage in the Tour de France on top of the Hautacam on a cold and rainy day.^[1] He broke away with Nico Mattan with 155 km (96 mi) to race and he would ultimately drop the latter for the first time on the col de Marie Blanque, but Mattan managed to join him on the descent. Otxoa shook off his breakaway companion for good on the climb of the col de l'Aubisque and sailed through the col du Soulor on his own to attack the foot of the Hautacam with a lead of 9 minutes on the chasers. He paid for his earlier efforts on the "hors category" climb by suffering from a drop of energy, but managed to hold on to the victory by crossing the finish line with a 42 seconds advantage over his nearest competitor, eventual yellow jersey winner Lance Armstrong.^[2][3]

Accident [edit]

In February 2001 a car hit him and his twin brother Ricardo during training. Ricardo died. Javier survived but was in a coma for a month and became seriously disabled.^[4] He continued cycling, however.

Paralympics cycling career [edit]

In the 2004 Summer Paralympics he won a gold in the road race/time trial event and a silver in the individual pursuit. Otxoa was disqualified during the preliminary round of the individual pursuit (CP 3) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, for riding too close behind his opponent, Darren Kenny, who had overtaken him.^[5] Kenny stated that he was disappointed by this as he would have liked to compete against Otxoa in the final.^[6]

Otxoa currently resides in Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga.^[7]

Palmarès [edit]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• (Spanish) Javier Otxoa website
• Javier Otxoa profile at Cycling Archives

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