Athletes > Levi Leipheimer > Bio

Stepping in
Leipheimer made his Olympic debut at the Games in Athens, when Lance Armstrong decided to skip the competition. He did not finish. But in 2008 in Beijing, he won silver in the men's individual time trial. In 2002 and 2004, he was the second-highest American finisher behind Armstrong in the Tour de France, taking eighth and ninth, respectively. In 2007, Leipheimer finished third overall in the Tour de France. He also won Stage 13.

Living it up in California
Leipheimer has found his greatest success professionally stateside, and is the two-time defending champion in the Tour of California. Still, Leipheimer looks to France as the main event on his schedule. Looking forward to La Grande Boucle 2008, his Astana team has been suspended from the 2008 version of the Tour de France due to doping penalties from last year's tour (Levi was not on that team). Leipheimer has created a website, letleviride.com, to bring attention to his plight and earn enough support so that he might compete in France in 2008.

Reign in Spain
Leipheimer established himself on the international cycling scene in 2001 when he placed third overall in the Vuelta a Espana, Spain's version of the Tour de France, and took fourth in the World Time Trial Championships. The following year, he won the Route de Sud stage race and was the highest American finisher in the 2002 Tour de France after Armstrong.

Costly crash
Following his success in 2002, Leipheimer entered the 2003 Tour as a serious contender for a spot on the podium. But in a serious crash during the race's first stage, Leipheimer fractured his pelvis and was forced to abandon the Tour. Fully recovered, Leipheimer returned to competition in 2004 with a win in stage four of the Setmana Catalana and a ninth place finish in the Tour de France.

Team player
A competitive skier from age 12-19, Leipheimer began cycling in 1987 to train for downhill ski racing. Ten years later, he turned pro -- not as a skier but as a cyclist -- and began riding for the Saturn cycling team. In 1999, he won the U.S. National Time Trial Championships and was invited to join the United States Postal Service team, led by Armstrong. After riding for two years with USPS, Leipheimer was recruited to lead Dutch team Rabobank and in his first year with his new team, he placed eighth overall in his first Tour de France.