Levi Leipheimer

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Levi Leipheimer
Leipheimer 2009C.jpg
Personal information
Full name Levi Leipheimer
Born (1973-10-24) October 24, 1973 (age 39)
Butte, Montana, U.S.
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight 62 kg (136.7 lb; 9.8 st)
Team information
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Rider type All-rounder
Amateur team(s)
1995
1996		 F.S. Maestro – Frigas
Einstein
Professional team(s)
1997
1998–1999
2000–2001
2002–2004
2005–2006
2007
2008–2009
2010–2011
2012		 Comptel – Colorado Cyclist
Saturn
US Postal
Rabobank
Gerolsteiner
Discovery Channel
Astana
Team RadioShack
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
Major wins

Grand Tours

Tour de France
TTT (2009)
Vuelta a España
2 individual stages (2008)

Stage races

Tour of California (2007, 2008, 2009)
Tour de San Luis (2012)
Tour de Suisse (2011)
Tour of Utah (2010, 2011)
USA Pro Cycling Challenge (2011)
Vuelta a Castilla y León (2009)

One-day races and Classics

National Road Race Champion (2007)
National Time Trial Champion (1999)

Infobox last updated on
August 26, 2012

Levi Leipheimer (born October 24, 1973) is an American professional road bicycle racer. His major accomplishments include winning the 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2011 Tour de Suisse, the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, and the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré. Notable results for Leipheimer on Grand Tours include coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a España, and having four top-ten finishes in the Tour de France, including third overall in the 2007. In the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games road time trial competition, Leipheimer won the bronze medal. He is also a two-time national champion having won the National Time Trial Championship in 1999 and the National Road Race Championship in 2007.

On 10 October 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.[1] Later that day a statement was released confirming his acceptance of a six-month ban from 1 September 2012 ending on 1 March 2013 along with a stripping of all race results between June 1999 and July 2006, as well as July 2007.[2]

Contents

Early life [edit]

Leipheimer was born and raised in Butte, Montana where his parents ran a sports gear store. As a youth, his main sport was skiing, but he became interested in cycling and a skiing accident led to him directing his career hopes towards cycling.[3] He moved to Belgium after graduation to race as an amateur, and turned professional in 1997.

Personal life [edit]

Leipheimer is married to Canadian professional cyclist Odessa Gunn, whom he met at a World Cup event in Philadelphia in 1997.[4]

He has supported the charity PETA in an advertising campaign.[5]

Career [edit]

Maestro Frigas and Einstein (1995–1996) [edit]

In 1995 Leipheimer won the Tour of Namur[6] as an intern for the British F.S. Maestro – Frigas team.[7]

Positive test [edit]

Leipheimer, riding for Team Einstein, won the 1996 U.S. National Criterium Championships in Grandview Heights, Ohio,[8][9] but tested positive for ephedrine, a banned substance, at the championship, and forfeited his title, prize money and jersey.[10][11] His family subsequently claimed that this was due to taking allergy medicine Claritin-D to relieve hay fever.[12][13] The United States Cycling Federation subsequently allowed the use of such medications to treat allergies.

Colorado Cyclist and Saturn (1997–1999) [edit]

Leipheimer turned professional in 1997 with the Colorado Cyclist team. In 1998, he changed teams and was hired by Team Saturn, with which he won the U.S. National Time Trial Championship in 1999.

U.S. Postal (2000–2001) [edit]

Leipheimer joined the US Postal team in 2000. His breakthrough came in the 2001 Vuelta a España, his first Grand Tour, in which he was riding in support of team leader Roberto Heras. Going into the final stage, an individual time trial in Madrid, Leipheimer was fifth, trailing his leader, who was third, by about a minute. During that time trial, Leipheimer moved ahead of two riders, including Heras, in the general classification to finish third overall, the first American to reach the podium in the Vuelta.

Rabobank (2002–2004) [edit]

He joined Dutch team Rabobank in 2002, and he finished eighth in his first Tour de France.

Leipheimer represented the United States in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race, but did not finish. He finished ninth in the Tour de France of that year.

Gerolsteiner (2005–2006) [edit]

In a time trial, riding for the German pro team Gerolsteiner in 2005

Riding for the German team Gerolsteiner, Leipheimer finished 6th in the 2005 Tour de France. On August 23, 2005, Leipheimer won the Deutschland Tour by 31 seconds, ahead of T-Mobile Team's Jan Ullrich and Gerolsteiner teammate Georg Totschnig. He had solidified his lead by defeating Ullrich in stage four on the Rettenbachferner, the highest climb in European racing that year at 2,670m.

In August 2010, Leipheimer was accused of having suspect blood values during the 2005 Tour de France by Hans-Michael Holczer, his former team manager at Gerolsteiner, in his book Garantiert Positiv (Guaranteed Positive, in English).[14] According to Holczer, Leipheimer showed blood values that indicated a "high probability of blood manipulation" and were so suspicious that one UCI official suggested that he should be withdrawn from the race.[15] Holczer said that he refused to withdraw Leipheimer because the team was "facing total bankruptcy" due to the sponsor's nervousness about the team's involvement in other doping scandals.[15]

In February 2006, Leipheimer was a favorite to win the inaugural Tour of California. He took the leader's golden jersey on the first day by winning the prologue to San Francisco's Coit Tower, but eventually finished sixth behind Floyd Landis and won the competition for best climber.

Leipheimer won the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré, having gained the overall lead on the stage to Mont Ventoux. He was considered a contender in the 2006 Tour de France after several favorites, including Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich, were suspended because of the Operación Puerto doping case: Leipheimer, who had been sixth the previous year, was the highest-placed rider returning. However, his final position was 12th, 18 and a half minutes behind winner Floyd Landis.

Team Discovery (2007) [edit]

Leipheimer re-signed with Tailwind Sports Corp. and Capital Sports & Entertainment, managing companies for the U.S. Postal and, later, the Discovery Channel cycling teams.[16] Leipheimer was team leader in the 2007 Tour of California, which he won after leading the race from start to finish. In the Paris-Nice race, he supported teammate Alberto Contador, who won. He placed third in the 2007 Tour de France, 31 seconds behind the winner, Contador, although he was retroactively stripped of this third place finish when he confessed to doping in 2012. Leipheimer also won stage 19, the last individual time trial. Discovery Channel disbanded at the end of the season. Leipheimer won the 2007 USA road championship, 1m 11s ahead of Discovery teammate and defending champion George Hincapie.

Astana (2008–2009) [edit]

Leipheimer joined Astana, managed by Johan Bruyneel, former manager of U.S. Postal and Discovery Channel. Astana was banned from the 2008 Tour de France because of doping scandals in the 2007 Tour, although all involved in those scandals had been replaced.[17] Leipheimer created a website to petition, unsuccessfully, for admittance to the 2008 Tour.

Leipheimer won the 2008 Tour of California. At the last minute, Astana was admitted to the Giro di Italia, and Leipheimer finished 18th, helping teammate Contador to victory. He won the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the road time trial. Leipheimer won both time trials of the 2008 Vuelta a España, leading the race after the first stage, and placing second overall behind Contador.

Leipheimer began 2009 by winning the Tour of California for the third consecutive year. He broke away during the final climb of stage 2 and led after the stage. Leipheimer won stage 6, the Solvang individual time trial. Astana teammate Lance Armstrong, in his second race after returning from retirement, rode for Leipheimer. Leipheimer won the 2009 SRAM Tour of the Gila with Astana teammates Chris Horner and Armstrong, who finished second but, as UCI regulations meant that Astana were ineligible for the event, the three rode as Team Mellow Johnny's, named after Armstrong's bike shop.

In May, Leipheimer rode for Astana in the Giro d'Italia and finished sixth overall, the team's best placement. Later, the second place finisher Danilo Di Luca tested positive for a banned substance and was stripped of his title, moving Leipheimer up to a fifth place finish in the records.

Riding with Astana in the 2009 Tour de France, Leipheimer broke a wrist in a crash near the end of stage 12, when he was fourth overall, and abandoned the race.[18]

Team RadioShack (2010–2011) [edit]

Leipheimer moved, along with Armstrong and several others from Astana's 2009 team, to Team RadioShack for 2010.[19] He won his second consecutive SRAM Tour of the Gila in April. At the 2010 Tour de California Leipheimer finished in third place overall.

Leipheimer was favored to lead the team in California again for 2011, but became the team's chief domestique instead, riding in support of Chris Horner's eventual victory, after the latter posted a stronger time on mountainous stage four into San Jose. Leipheimer also won the stage finishing at the Mount Baldy ski area, and was second in the individual time trial.[20][21] In his next race, the Tour of Switzerland, Leipheimer overhauled the race leader Damiano Cunego by 4 seconds in the final time trial stage.[22]

Leipheimer won the first edition of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, winning the first stage and coming second in the third stage time trial.

Omega Pharma - Quick-Step (2012) [edit]

Leipheimer joined Patrick Lefevere's Omega Pharma-Quick Step team for what was supposed to be the 2012 and 2013 seasons.[23] He started his year by winning the Tour de San Luis in Argentina. However, while on a training ride on the eve of the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, he broke his fibula when he collided with a car. He stated that he thought he would die when the accident happened.[24] He returned to competition at the Tour of California, and he was awarded the "Most Courageous" jersey for the first stage in recognition of his return from injury,[25] before finishing sixth overall.[26] He followed that performance by taking the third place in the Tour de Suisse.[27] Leipheimer won a stage of the Tour of Utah,[28] and finished third overall in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, having been race leader for one day.[29] Levi was fired by the Quick-Step team in October 2012 ostensibly due to his admission of doping between 1999 and 2007.[30]

King Ridge GranFondo [edit]

In 2009 Leipheimer founded his King Ridge GranFondo, a mass participation ride named for the challenging King Ridge Road in Sonoma County.[citation needed] The inaugural version of the GranFondo hosted a sold-out crowd of 3500 people on the roads in and around Leipheimer's home of Santa Rosa, California. By 2012, participation had risen to 7,500 riders.[citation needed] The event is a charity ride, benefitting the Forget Me Not Farm, LIVESTRONG, and a series of cycling initiatives designed to promote cycling in and around Sonoma County.

Major results [edit]

All results from June 1, 1999 to July 30, 2006 and July 7 to July 29, 2007 are stripped.[2]

Levi Leipheimer winning Stage 5 of the Tour of California in 2007.
Levi Leipheimer at the 2008 Tour of California (Prologue).
1995
1st Overall Tour de la Province de Namur
1997
1 Stage of Cascade Cycling Classic
Prologue Tour de Toona
1998
1st Overall Tour de Beauce
1st Stage 3
1999
1st MaillotUSA.PNG National Time Trial Champion
2007
1st USA Cycling Professional Tour
1st MaillotUSA.PNG National Road Race Champion
1st Overall Jersey gold.svg Tour of California
1st Prologue & Stage 5 (ITT)
1st Copperopolis Road Race
Tour de Georgia
1st Stage 4 (ITT) & 5
1st Stage 3 (ITT) Tour of Missouri
2nd Overall Deutschland Tour
2008
1st Overall Jersey gold.svg Tour of California
1st Stage 5 (ITT)
1st Overall Cascade Cycling Classic
1st Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama
2nd Overall Vuelta a España
1st Stage 5 & 20
3rd Overall Tour de Georgia
3rd Overall Dauphiné Libéré
1st Prologue (ITT)
3rd Individual Time Trial, 2008 Beijing Olympics[31]
4th UCI Road World Championships Time Trial
2009
1st Stage 4 (TTT) Tour de France
1st Overall Jersey gold.svg Tour of California
1st Stage 6 (ITT)
1st Overall Jersey red.svg Vuelta a Castilla y León
1st Stage 2 (ITT)
1st Overall Tour of the Gila
1st Stage 1 & 3 (ITT)
1st stage 2 Sea Otter Classic
5th Overall Giro d'Italia
2010
1st Overall Tour of the Gila
1st Stage 1
1st Overall Tour of Utah
1st Stage 2
1st Leadville Trail 100 MTB (course record)
3rd Overall Tour of California
2011
1st Overall Jersey yellow.svg USA Pro Cycling Challenge
1st Stage 1 & 3
1st Overall Jersey yellow.svg Tour de Suisse
1st Overall Jersey yellow.svg Tour of Utah
2nd Overall Tour of California
1st Stage 7
3rd Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
5th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
8th Overall Paris–Nice
2012
1st Overall Jersey yellow.svg Tour de San Luis
1st Stage 3[N 1] & 4 (ITT)
3rd Overall Tour de Suisse
3rd Overall USA Pro Cycling Challenge
6th Overall Tour of California
6th Overall Tour of Utah
1st Stage 6

Grand Tour General Classification results timeline [edit]

Grand Tour 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Jersey pink.svg Giro - - - - - - - 18 5 - - - ?
Jersey yellow.svg Tour - 8 WD 9 6 12 3 - WD 12 32 32 ?
Jersey red.svg Vuelta 3 - 58 - - - - 2 - - - - ?

WD = Withdrew; In Progress = IP; Voided results = struck through

Notes and references [edit]

Notes
  1. ^ Retroactively awarded after Alberto Contador's results were disqualified following his backdated two-year ban in February 2012.[32][33]
References
  1. ^ . USADA. 10 October 2012 http://www.usada.org/cyclinginvestigationstatement.html.  Text "Levi Leipheimer Suspension" ignored (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ a b c http://d3epuodzu3wuis.cloudfront.net/LL+Acceptance+of+Sanction.pdf%7CLevi Leipheimer acceptance of sanction
  3. ^ http://montanakids.com/cool_stories/famous_montanans/leipheimer.htm  Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Anh-Minh Le (2007-06-23). "At home with Levi Leipheimer and Odessa Gunn". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  5. ^ "Levi Leipheimer to Star in PETA Ad," Canadian Cyclist, September 19, 2007.
  6. ^ "Holtz Typically Pessimistic As Opener Nears for Irish" (paid). Salt Lake Tribune (Levi Leipheimer, 22, a Utah resident and University of Utah student, won the six -stage Tour of Namur race Aug. 16–20 in Belgium.). 1995-08-30. 
  7. ^ "F.S. Maestro – Frigas 1995", le site du cyclism 
  8. ^ "Mention of Honor". Salt Lake Tribune. 1996-09-24. p. B2. 
  9. ^ Mallozzi, Vincent M. (1996-12-29). "Leipheimer wins US Criterium Title". The New York Times. 
  10. ^ VeloNews, volume 26: issue number 1, January 13, 1997, pp 6–7: Velonotes: A USA Cycling disciplinary panel has recommended that Levi Leipheimer receive a three-month suspension and be forced to return his national criterium championship jersey. The decision came after a drug test conducted at the August 18 championship event [was] positive. The panel's decision was upheld by USA Cycling executive director Lisa Voight, and the criterium title was awarded to Matt Johnson.
  11. ^ Malach, Pat. "Riders react to USADA reasoned decision". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 11 October 2012. " Leipheimer, for example tested positive for ephedrine at the 1996 Elite criterium championships, which he won after lapping the field, and admitted using EPO while riding for Saturn in 1999." 
  12. ^ Montana Standard "letter to the editor (July 8, 2006)". 
  13. ^ WADA Prohibited List 2010
  14. ^ "Holczer accuses Leipheimer of blood manipulation". cyclingnews.com. 4 August 2010. 
  15. ^ a b Velonews "Former Gerolsteiner manager levels doping charge against Leipheimer". 
  16. ^ The team name changed when U.S. Postal ended sponsorship. A sponsorship agreement was signed with Discovery Channel in 2005.
  17. ^ Associated Press (2008-02-13). "Tour de France organizers exclude Astana team; Alberto Contador may not defend title". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-08-15. 
  18. ^ [1], New York Times (2009-07-17) "Broken Wrist Forces Levi Leipheimer to Withdraw" timesonline.co.uk Retrieved on 2009-07-17
  19. ^ Richard Tyler (2009-09-01). "Leipheimer signs with RadioShack for two years". Cycling News. Retrieved 2009-09-02. 
  20. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/horner-100-per-cent-focused-on-tour-de-france-after-california-victory
  21. ^ "Horner, 39, oldest to win Tour of California". The San Francisco Chronicle. 2011-05-23. 
  22. ^ Nail-Biter Gives Leipheimer Swiss Victory Livestrong.com June 19, 2011
  23. ^ Benson, Daniel (September 21, 2011). "Lefevere confirms that Leipheimer will ride for Omega Pharma-Quickstep". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). Retrieved January 4, 2012. 
  24. ^ "Leipheimer sidelined with fibula fracture". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). 5 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012. 
  25. ^ James Raia (13 May 2012). "Levi's stirring comeback energizes fans". Press Democrat (2012 PressDemocrat.com). Retrieved 28 August 2012. 
  26. ^ Weislo, Laura (20 May 2012). "Gesink seals overall victory in Tour of California". Cyling News (Future Publishing Limited). Retrieved 27 August 2012. 
  27. ^ "Frank Schleck attacks, Rui Costa defends to win 2012 Tour de Suisse". Velo News (2012 Competitor Group, Inc.). 18 June 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012. 
  28. ^ Pat Malach (13 August 2012). "Leipheimer wins final stage at Tour of Utah". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). Retrieved 28 August 2012. 
  29. ^ "Vande Velde stuns Leipheimer, taking overall victory". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). 27 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012. 
  30. ^ "Cyclist Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa dropped from Quick-Step team". San Jose Mercury News. 16 October 2012. 
  31. ^ Reynolds, Tim (August 13, 2008). "Levi Leipheimer Wins Cycling Bronze for US". Cycling Team USA. Retrieved August 4, 2011. 
  32. ^ "New winners emerge from Contador's suspension". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2012. 
  33. ^ "Tour de San Luis (ARG), 25 Jan 2012 - Stage 3: Estancia Grande - Mirador de Potrero". Union Cycliste Internationale. Infostrada Sports. Retrieved February 19, 2012. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Levi Leipheimer
Sporting positions
Preceded by
George Hincapie		 USA National Road Race Champion
2007		 Succeeded by
Tyler Hamilton


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