COLNAGO C40HP Team Rabobank – ridden by Oscar FREIRE (2004) – SOLD

Ernesto Colnago was born on February 9, 1932 in Cambiago, near Milan, Italy. At age 13 he entered in world of two wheels and immediately he fall in love with bikes and cycling. In 1952 he founded Colnago and started to work as mechanic for several professional teams. Colnago’s bikes still have a domination of the world’s cycling sports because Ernesto was always an innovator and pioneer of new technologies which supposedly provide more efficency or comfort.

In 1994 Colnago started to produce their very successful model C40 — ‘C’ for carbon and ‘40’ to commemorate Colnago’s 40th year in business. Full carbon frame with Master profile carbon tubes bonded to carbon lugs. Colnago solved the problem of how to make a carbon frame durable enough to win the toughest cobbled Classics yet light enough to soar up Alpine cols. That’s the reason why the C40 is the favourite bike of all time for so many people — including Sir Bradley Wiggins. Colnago could have created something with perhaps a swoopy, futuristic profile befitting its revolutionary design. Instead he kept the tubes ramrod-straight in the traditional style — albeit with the star-shaped cross-section that he had pioneered with the steel Master.

Rabobank was a top level cycling team in years 1996-2012 and is one the most successful teams ever. In years 1996 till 2005 they rode Colnago bikes.

Óscar Freire Gómez (born 15 February 1976) is a former Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen, Eddy Merckx and Peter Sagan. In the later years of his career, he became more of a classics rider. He has won the cycling monument Milan–San Remo three times, four stages in the Tour de France and seven stages of the Vuelta a España, throughout a successful career. Despite his diminutive stature, Freire was a great sprinter. He had a training philosophy where he rode shorter distances than most pro cyclists, sometimes covering only about half the distance his colleagues would. When growing up he contracted tuberculosis and narrowly avoided having a leg amputated.

Oscar Freire Team Rabobank 2004

Proudly offering original COLNAGO C40HP Rabobank team bike, ridden by Oscar Freire in season 2004. Shinning in original Rabobank paintjob with completely original setup. Bike stayed in Colnago private museum from 2004 till 2008, then it was sold in charity auction and stayed in private collection in Italy till late 2021, when  acquired by Premium Cycling.

A real jewel! Museum piece.

Frame & Fork: Colnago C40HP Rabobank for Oscar FREIRE

Size:

– seat tube (c-t): 52.5 cm

– top tube (c-c): 54 cm

– headset tube: 10.6 cm

– standover: 75.5 cm

Crankset: Shimano Dura Ace 7800 (53/39, 172.5mm)

Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace 7800

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace 7800

Levers:  Shimano Dura Ace 7800

Brakes: Shimano Dura Ace 7800

Chain: Shimano Dura Ace 7800

Headset: Shimano Dura Ace 7700

Saddle: San Marco Aspide

Seatpost: Shimano Dura Ace 7700 Team Edition

Stem: Cinelli (120mm)

Handlebar: Cinelli

Hubs: Shimano Dura Ace

Rims: Fir ST 120

Pedals: Shimano Dura Ace 7800

Tires: Vittoria Pro Team

Handlebar tape: Colnago, cork, original

Condition: Used, but excellent condition. No cracks, no dents, not bent. Original paint and decals.

Year: 2004

Weight: 7.5kg

PRICE: SOLD (December 2021)