"If he doesn’t improve he’ll have to look for another sport": Óscar Freire firm about son Marcos's future at UAE

Despite his fierce outburst against the current president of the Spanish Cycling Federation, José Vicioso, for allegedly promising him the national coach role and then handing it behind his back to Alejandro Valverde, Óscar Freire does not rule out taking the reins in the future.

"You should never close doors," explains the three-time world champion when asked about taking that post one day in an interview with El Español.

"For me, the Worlds has always been something very special. I know what it is to race a bike, what it is to win the Worlds and, above all, it was the race I prepared best all year," he says. The Spaniard claimed the rainbow jersey three times during his career and always stood out for delivering at that specific date on the calendar.

Freire also reflects on the process that ultimately left someone else in charge of the national team. In his view, the choice did not come down solely to sporting criteria. "Close the book on it, no. What I’ve realised is that it’s more political than sporting, and in the end I wasn’t named the selector because of that," notes the former professional.

In that hypothetical scenario, Freire even imagines a particular situation: having to make decisions that could affect his own son, Marcos, who currently rides for UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z.

"Having to select my son… Hopefully, if he has the level, why not. I think that would be, in this case, for the U23s, not for the pro level, but I’d love to become selector and select my son, of course," he says.

The former sprinter also assesses Marcos Freire’s sporting future and acknowledges that the road to the professional ranks is not straightforward. In his view, the young rider’s development will be key to determining how far he can go.

"I think if he improves he can be a good cyclist, but if he doesn’t he’ll have to look for another sport or, who knows, maybe he needs two or three years to adapt and improve," Freire explains.

The young athlete joined the talent academy of world's best team ahead of the 2025 season after a solid junior campaign that saw him claim 7 victories on Spanish roads, but the transition to under-23 category has been far from smooth. In his first year, Marcos' best result was a 17th place in one of the sprint stages of Istrian Trophy (2.2) in Croatia.

The rest of the season saw the young Freire race mostly in support of his leaders, often seeing a 'DNF' next to his name in the results sheet. A stark contrast to his compatriot Adria Pericas, whose debut season with the Gen-Z team immediately earned him a promotion to WorldTour for 2026.

His father compares his son’s progression with that of the current peloton’s major stars and notes that not all riders evolve at the same pace or with the same ease. "It’s very easy when you’re like Pogacar, who’s sipping water while the others are suffering, but not everyone is Pogacar," he concludes.