Christian Vande Velde

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Christian Vande Velde
Christian Vande Velde - TDF 2011.jpg
Vande Velde at the 2011 Tour de France.
Personal information
Full name Christian Vande Velde
Nickname VDV, CVV
Born (1976-05-22) May 22, 1976 (age 36)
Lemont, Illinois, U.S.
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 69 kg (150 lb; 10.9 st)
Team information
Current team Garmin-Sharp
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Rider type All-rounder
Professional team(s)
1998–2003
2004
2005–2007
2008–		 US Postal
Liberty Seguros
Team CSC
Slipstream-Chipotle
Major wins
Redlands Bicycle Classic (1999)
Tour de Luxembourg (2006)
Tour of Missouri (2008)
USA Pro Cycling Challenge (2012)

Infobox last updated on
March 28, 2013

Christian Vande Velde (born May 22, 1976 in Lemont, Illinois, U.S.) is an American professional road racing cyclist of Belgian descent, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam Garmin-Sharp.[1] The son of United States Bicycling Hall of Fame inductee John Vande Velde, Christian became a professional in 1998 for US Postal.[2]

Contents

Career [edit]

1998–2006 [edit]

Vande Velde started his Grand Tour career by participating in the 1998 Vuelta a España, where he assisted Lance Armstrong, to a fourth place finish. Vande Velde twice rode on the Tour de France team that brought Lance Armstrong to victory, in 1999, and 2001. In the 1999 Tour de France, Vande Velde was for a time the leader of the Young rider classification; he did not complete, however, in the 2000 Tour de France. Vande Velde moved to Liberty Seguros in 2004, and switched to Team CSC in 2005. During this time, he worked as a domestique,[3] riding in support of varying team captains, even though the 2005 season saw Vande Velde taking chances of his own including a breakaway on 4th stage of the Eneco Tour, which was eventually hampered when the peloton was led on a false route, meaning the riders of the breakaway had to wait for the peloton to get back on track, at which time the gap between the break and the peloton was reduced from six to four minutes with 43 kilometres to go.[1]

At the 2006 Tour de Luxembourg, Vande Velde showed impressive performances in the mountains, which secured him first overall in the general classification.[4][5]

In the 2006 Tour de France, he was a domestique on Team CSC for team captains Carlos Sastre and Fränk Schleck.[6] Vande Velde was the best of the climbers in the team apart from Sastre and Schleck, whom he supported in the high mountain stages. On stage 16, he pulled for most of the early slopes of the Col de la Croix de Fer, after team-mates Sastre and Schleck attacked to put then race leader Floyd Landis (Phonak) under pressure. On stage 17, to Morzine, he again pulled for most of the day along with team-mates Jens Voigt, Matthias Kessler, and Serhiy Honchar from the T-Mobile Team.

2007–2011 [edit]

With the team time trial win by Slipstream-Chipotle in Stage 1 of the 2008 Giro d'Italia, Vande Velde became the first American to wear the Maglia rosa since Andy Hampsten in 1988.[7] Vande Velde finished the 2008 Tour de France in 4th place, 3'05" behind the winner Carlos Sastre, and 17th in the Olympic Road Race.[8] In the 2009 Tour de France, Vande Velde finished 7th in the overall standings.

Vande Velde won the 2008 Tour of Missouri, beating the likes of Michael Rogers (Team Columbia-High Road) and Svein Tuft (Symmetrics), who finished second and third, respectively.[9]

Vande Velde crashed out of the 2010 Giro d'Italia on the third stage with a suspected clavicle break.[10] Coincidentally, in 2009 he was forced out of the Giro after a crash, also on stage 3.[11] Vande Velde withdrew from the 2010 Tour de France upon completing the second stage on Monday, July 5, 2010, with two broken ribs. The injury was suffered in a crash caused by oil spilled from a fallen motorcycle that had been carrying a television camera operator filming on the Stockeu pass descent.[12]

During the 2011 Tour de France, Vande Velde assisted Tom Danielson to a top ten finish, and was an integral part of Garmin's first place in the team classification.[13] Vande Velde finished a close second at the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which was ultimately won by Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack).[14]

2012–2013 [edit]

In the 2012 Giro d'Italia, Vande Velde was instrumental to the victory of his leader Ryder Hesjedal,[15] protecting him in the mountain stages. He also was Hesjedal's roommate during the Tour, and shared his thoughts about the race and his teammate in an interview with Velo News, where he stated that winning the Giro was "surreal".[16] Suffering various crashes during the first week, Vande Velde, however, finished second in the fifteenth stage of the 2012 Tour de France, losing in a sprint to the finish to Frenchman Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ-BigMat).[17] Commentator Phil Liggett stated during the stage that Vande Velde had been voted the most popular rider during the Tour, amongst fans.[18] In the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Vande Velde put in an impressive performance in the last stage's individual time trial, finishing second to Taylor Phinney of BMC Racing Team by 10 seconds. With that run, he took the leader's jersey off the shoulders of Omega Pharma-Quick Steps' Levi Leipheimer, and stepped atop the overall classification podium.[19]

During Vande Velde's first race of the season, the 2013 Volta a Catalunya, Vande Velde crashed out with a metacarpal fracture.[20]

Doping confession [edit]

In a September 2012, online forum post, Garmin-Sharp team manager and owner Jonathan Vaughters stated that Vande Velde had used blood doping products to increase red blood cell production.[21][22] On October 10, 2012, it was announced by USADA that he would be suspended for six months for admissions of doping during his time with the US Postal Cycling Team.[23] Later that day a statement was released confirming his acceptance of a six month ban from September 1, 2012, ending on March 1, 2013, along with a stripping of all race results between June 4, 2004, and April 30, 2006.[24][25] Vande Velde released his own statement a day later that expressed regret at his decision to "cross the line". "I’m very sorry for the mistakes I made in my past and I know that forgiveness is a lot to ask for. I know that I have to earn it and I will try, every day, to deserve it – as I have, every day, since making the choice to compete clean. I will never give up on this sport, and I will never stop fighting for its future." he said.[26]

Personal life [edit]

Vande Velde currently resides in Lemont, Illinois, with his wife Leah, and their daughters Uma (b. 2008), and Madeline (b. 2009).[27][28][29] Vande Velde owns a pet Weimaraner.[30]

In a 2012 interview, Vande Velde stated he would consider appearing in Dancing With The Stars, once his cycling career is over.[31]

Palmarès [edit]

1997
13th, Philadelphia International Championships
1999
1st, Overall, Jersey yellow.svg Redlands Bicycle Classic
3rd, Overall, Four Days of Dunkirk
1st, Jersey white.svg Young rider classification
4th, Overall, Circuit de la Sarthe
10th, National Criterium Championships
2000
9th, Grand Prix Eddy Merckx
12th, Olympic Individual Pursuit
17th, GP Miguel Indurain
2001
4th, Overall, Three Days of De Panne
5th, Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
14th, Overall, Tirreno–Adriatico
17th, Tour of Flanders
20th, Milan – San Remo
2002
1st, Stage 1 (ITT), Volta a Catalunya
17th, La Flèche Wallonne
20th, Overall, Vuelta a Burgos
2004
2006
1st, Overall, Jersey yellow.svg Tour de Luxembourg
2nd, Overall, Tour of Elk Grove
9th, Overall, Tour of California
12th, Overall, Tour de Suisse
15th, Overall, Volta a Catalunya
2007
1st, Eindhoven Team Time Trial
2nd, Overall, Tour de Georgia
6th, Overall, Tour of California
15th, Clásica de San Sebastián
2008
1st, USA Cycling Professional Tour
1st, Stage 1 (TTT), Giro d'Italia
1st, Overall, Jersey yellow.svg Tour of Missouri
1st, Stage 3 (TTT)
2nd, Overall, Circuit de la Sarthe
1st, Stage 2
2nd, Tour of the Bahamas
3rd, National Time Trial Championships
3rd, Overall, Tour of California
4th, Overall, Tour de France
7th, Overall, Tour de Georgia
1st, Stage 4 (TTT)
10th, Overall, Vuelta a Castilla y León
17th, Olympic Road Race
2009
1st, Stage 4, Paris–Nice
7th, Overall, Tour de France
2010
13th, Overall, Tour de Romandie
2011
2nd, Overall, USA Pro Cycling Challenge
4th, Overall, Tour of California
5th, Overall, Tour of Oman
6th, Overall, Tour of Utah
16th, Overall, Tour de France
1st, Stage 2 (TTT)
18th, Overall, Volta a Catalunya
2012
1st, Overall, Jersey yellow.svg USA Pro Cycling Challenge
1st, Stage 4 (TTT), Giro d'Italia
12th, Overall, Tour of Utah
1st, Stage 2 (TTT)

Grand Tour general classification results timeline [edit]

Grand Tour 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Pink jersey Giro - - - - - - - 114 - - 52 WD WD - 22 IP
Yellow jersey Tour - 85 - WD - - 56 - 22 24 4 7 WD 16 60 ?
gold jersey Vuelta 90 - - - 25 - - 31 - 39 - - 58 - - ?

Withdrew = WD; In progress = IP; Voided results = struck through.

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda Unveils 2013 Roster". Garmin-Sharp (Boulder, Colorado: Slipstream Sports LLC). December 28, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013. 
  2. ^ Featured Rider | Christian VandeVelde USA Pro Challenge, January 1, 2012.
  3. ^ Husband, Father Professional Cyclist Official Website, January 1, 2012.
  4. ^ Christian Vande Velde Bio USA Cycling, January 1, 2012.
  5. ^ Tour de Luxembourg 2006 Cycling Archives, January 1, 2012.
  6. ^ Who is this Christian Vande Velde? Biking Bis. July 26, 2008.
  7. ^ American Christian Vande Velde eager for another Giro jersey VeloNews, May 7, 2010.
  8. ^ "Christian Vande Velde Bio". 
  9. ^ Christian Vande Velde Victorious in Missouri! Garmin-Sharp (Boulder, Colorado: Slipstream Sports LLC). September 14, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  10. ^ Argyle goes awry: Vande Velde exits Giro as Farrar falls on GC VeloNews.com: Argyle angst: Vande Velde leaves Giro after crash
  11. ^ Mixed day for Garmin: CVV crashes out, Farrar takes second. VeloNews.com: Mixed day for Garmin at the Giro: Farrar second, CVV crashes out
  12. ^ "Vande Velde retires from Tour de France". Associated Press. 2010-07-05. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 
  13. ^ Race report: Danielson secures top-10, Garmin-Cervélo’s poised to win team GC Garmin-Cervélo (Boulder, Colorado: Slipstream Sports LLC). July 23, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  14. ^ Leipheimer wins inaugural US Pro Cycling Challenge Cycling News, August 28, 2011.
  15. ^ Malcolm Kelly (May 27, 2012). "Ryder wins! Hesjedal takes the Giro d'Italia". CBC Sports. Retrieved August 27, 2012. 
  16. ^ "Q&A Vande Velde: ‘We raced the Giro with a massive chip on our shoulders’". Velo News. 2012 Competitor Group, Inc. June 2, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012. 
  17. ^ "Pierrick Fedrigo led two-man breakaway to win Tour's stage 15". Sports Illustrated. July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2012. 
  18. ^ "2012 Tour de France coverage on NBC".
  19. ^ "Vande Velde stuns Leipheimer, taking overall victory". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012. 
  20. ^ "Garmin Sharp rider sidelined again after serving six-month suspension". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). March 21, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2013. 
  21. ^ Vaughters outs Garmin riders for past doping in online forum Velo News, September 5, 2012.
  22. ^ Christian Vande Velde Affidavit USADA, September 25, 2012.
  23. ^ U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team Investigation USADA, October 10, 2012.
  24. ^ Six former Armstrong USPS teammates receive bans from USADA Cycling News, October 10, 2012.
  25. ^ Christian Vande Velde strides into the ring and throws a knockout punch VeloNews, August 26, 2012.
  26. ^ Garmin-Sharp responds to USADA case with rider statements Velo News, October 10, 2012
  27. ^ Cyclist Adds Flair to His Win NY Times, March 12, 2009.
  28. ^ Breaking away with cyclist Christian Vande Velde Chicago Tribune, February 7, 2010.
  29. ^ Christian Vande Velde's Profile USA Cycling, January 1, 2012.
  30. ^ Christian Vande Velde – Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda Garmin-Sharp (Boulder, Colorado: Slipstream Sports LLC). January 1, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  31. ^ Pro Cyclist/Chicago Native Christian Vande Velde, As Tough As It Gets. Chicago Tribune, July 16, 2012.
  32. ^ Pro Cyclist/Chicago Native Christian Vande Velde, As Tough As It Gets. Chicago Tribune, July 16, 2012

External links [edit]

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