Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer ( born October 24, 1973 in Butte, Montana ) is a former American professional cyclist.
Career
Leipheimer, whose ancestors came from the former imperial city's ulmischen Country City Leipheim, the neighboring town of Günzburg, in Bavarian Swabia, come, began in 1987 with the cycling and in 1997 pro. In the years 1998 and 1999 he drove in the Saturn Cycling Team in 2000 and 2001 and was the team U.S. Postal Service one of the precious helper of Lance Armstrong. From 2002 to 2004 he drove in the Dutch cycling team Rabobank. As of 2005, wore the jersey of Levi Leipheimer, Gerolsteiner team, but switched to the 2007 season to the American Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team.
Leipheimer was suspected as early as 2006, together with the Italian sports doctor Michele Ferrari. He fell at the Tour de France 2005 with eye-catching blood values , so that the world governing body UCI wanted to push his team boss Holczer to take Leipheimer from the race. Leipheimer was finally sixth in the overall standings, which was subsequently revised in 2012 even after the conviction of Jan Ullrich to rank 5.
At the 2008 Tour de France Leipheimer Astana team was not invited, so he could not attend. In the time trial at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he won the bronze medal.
2009 Leipheimer had the Tour de France due to a wrist fracture prematurely.
On October 10, 2012 Leipheimer has been banned for doping by the USADA. He had stood in the context of doping accusations against Lance Armstrong as many other drivers of the U.S. Postal team 's evidence, to have been engaged in a systematic doping. He accepted a six -month ban from 1 September 2012 to 1 March 2013 and the cancellation of its results from 1 June 1999 to 30 July 2006 and 7 July to 29 July 2007. His team Omega Pharma- Quick Step tribute to this in a press statement Leipheimer cooperation with USADA, but solved with respect to the doping confession on the contract with him. Since he could not find a new team more after his doping ban, he ended his active career as a professional cyclist.
Private
Levi Leipheimer is married and a dedicated animal rights activists. Together with his wife Odessa Gunn, a former professional cyclist, he founded in 2004 Freedom Hill, an organization that cares for homeless animals. In addition, Leipheimer is also committed to the animal rights organization PETA.
He lives alternately in Santa Rosa ( California ) and Girona, Spain.
Achievements
- A stage and General Classification Tour de Beauce
- United States American Masters - time trial
- A stage and General Classification Tour de Beauce
- A stage Circuit Franco -Belge
- A stage Sea Otter Classic
- A stage Redlands Bicycle Classics
- A stage Catalan Week
- A stage, mountain classification and Appreciation Germany Tour
- Prologue Tour of California
- Dauphiné Libéré
- A stage Germany Tour
- Prolog, a stage and Appreciation Tour of California
- Two stages of the Tour de Georgia
- A stage of the Tour de France
- United States American Champion - Road Race
- A stage in the Tour of Missouri
- A stage and Appreciation Tour of California
- Prologue Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- Bronze ITT Summer Olympic Games in Beijing
- Clasica a los Puerto
- Two stages and finished second overall Vuelta a España
- Appreciation and a stage Tour of California
- Appreciation and a stage Vuelta a Castilla y León
- Two stages and General Classification Tour of the Gila
- A stage of the Tour de France ( TTT )
- A stage and General Classification Tour of the Gila
- A stage and Appreciation Tour of Utah
- A stage in the Tour of California
- General Classification Tour de Suisse
- General Classification Tour of Utah
- Overall and two stages USA Pro Cycling Challenge
- A stage and General Classification Tour de San Luis
- A stage of Tour of Utah