ABRAHAM OLANO

Abraham Olano with Giant's jerseys during an interview.Abraham Olano was born in Anoeta in the province of Gipuzkoa (Euskadi) on January 22nd, 1970. At the age of 11 he started cycling at the Oria Cycling School and won several races at junior level. Later he specialized in track racing and won the Spanish Championship in persecution (with Etxegoyen, Pérez and Juárez), 1km with standing start and sprint.

As an amateur he rode for Kaiku and AVSA and shone as a sprinter.

He became a professional in 1992 with CHCS, although this team disappeared almost before it started, and then moved to Lotus. It was in this year that he won his first professional race, the Gran Premio de Villafranca de Ordizia in Gipuzkoa.

In 1993 he rode for CLAS Cajastur, but it was when this team merged with the Italian Mapei team that he began to win important races, such as the Tour of Asturias or the Spanish National Championship, both in Time Trial and Road Race. However, 1995 was to be his most glorious year when he won the World Championship Road Race in Colombia ahead of Miguel Indurain and Marco Pantani. Furthermore, he won three stages in the Tour of Spain.

In 1996 Olano won the Tour of Romandy and finished third in the Giro (the Tour of Italy) as well as fifth in the Tour de France. In the Atlanta Olympics he won the silver medal in the Time Trial behind Miguel Indurain.

In 1997 he signed for Banesto and won the Euskal Bizikleta and a stage in the Tour de France, where he finished fourth.

In 1998 Olano became World Time Trial Champion and won the Tour of Spain.

In 1999 he signed for ONCE, where he finished his career in 2001, year in which he was runner-up in the Giro.

Nowadays Abraham is one of the people responsible for designing stages for the Tour of Spain.

Abraham Olano with World Champion jersey during a Time Trial. 

ABRAHAM OLANO WITH GIANT BIKES

Abraham Olano rode with GIANT bikes in his years with the professional team ONCE. After his retirement as a pro rider, Olano went on with GIANT testing their products and as one of their ambassadors in several events.

As Abraham says: “GIANT is the number 1 in the bike world, and is the only manufacturer that completely controls its products. GIANT invests $15M in Investigation & Development & Innovation every year , and if you are a bike professional you notice it. I have tested a lot of bikes in all my life as cyclist, but none like the GIANT”.

 

 

 

This is the full list of Abraham’s 45 professional victories.

1992

  • Gran Premio de Villafranca de Ordizia

1994

  • Overall Classification Alcobendas Classic

  • 1 stage Tour of Asturias

  • Overall Classification Tour of Asturias

  • 1 stage Tour of Catalonia

  • Spanish Time Trial Champion

  • Spanish Road Race Champion

1995

  • Subida al Naranco

  • 3 stages Tour of Spain

  • World Road Race Champion

1996

  • 2 stages Tour of Romandy

  • Overall Classification Tour of Romandy

  • 1 stage Tour of Galicia

  • Overall Classification Tour of Galicia

1997

  • 1 stage Tour of Asturias

  • 1 stage Euskal Bizikleta

  • Overall Classification Euskal Bizikleta

  • 1 stage Dauphiné Libéré

  • 1 stage Tour de France

  • 1 stage Tour of Burgos

1998

  • 1 stage Tour of the Basque Country

  • Overall Classification Tour of La Rioja

  • Overall Classification Euskal Bizikleta

  • Spanish Time Trial Champion

  • 1 stage Tour of Burgos

  • Overall Classification Tour of Burgos

  • 1 stage Tour Your of Galicia

  • 1 stage Tour of Spain

  • Overall Classification Tour of Spain

  • World Time Trial Champion

1999

  • 1 stage Tour of Asturias

  • 1 stage Euskal Bizikleta

  • 1 stage Tour of Burgos

  • Overall Classification Tour of Burgos

  • 1 stage Tour of Spain

2000

  • 1 stage Tour of Valencia

  • Overall Classification Tour of Valencia

  • 1 Stage Tirreno-Adriatico

  • Overall Classification Tirreno-Adriatico

  • Overall Classification Critérium International

  • 1 stage Tour of Spain

2001

  • Overall Classification Alcobendas Classic

CAREER TEAMS

  • Lotus Festina (1992)

  • CLAS Cajastur (1993)

  • Mapei CLAS (1994)

  • Mapei GB (1995-1996)

  • Banesto (1997-1998)

  • ONCE Deutsche Bank (1999-2002)