: Tour de France
::1 TTT stage (2011)
:Giro d'Italia
::2 TTT stages (2008, 2012)
Stage races
:Tour de Luxembourg (2006)
:Tour of Missouri (2008)
:USA Pro Cycling Challenge (2012)
Christian Vande Velde (born May 22, 1976) is a retired American professional road racing cyclist who rode professionally between 1998 and 2013. Vande Velde competed for the , , and squads. He has been a cycling analyst for NBC Sports since 2014. He is the son of cyclist John Vande Velde.
Career
1998–2006
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 compete, however, in the 2000 Tour de France. Vande Velde moved to in 2004, and switched to in 2005. During this time, he worked as a domestique, riding in support of varying team captains, even though the 2005 season saw Vande Velde taking chances of his own. In one instance, Vande Velde was a breakaway participant on the fourth stage of the Eneco Tour. The breakaway, however, was eventually hampered when the peloton was led on a false route, meaning the breakaway riders 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.
Vande Velde in 2006
At the 2006 Tour de Luxembourg, Vande Velde showed impressive performances in the mountains, which secured him first overall in the general classification.
In the 2006 Tour de France, he was a domestique on for team captains Carlos Sastre and Fränk Schleck. 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 which, team-mates Sastre and Schleck attacked to put then race leader Floyd Landis () 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 .
2007–2011
With 's team time trial win, Vande Velde became the first American to wear the pink jersey as leader of the general classification since Andrew Hampsten in 1988. Vande Velde finished the 2008 Tour de France in fourth place, 3'05" behind the winner Carlos Sastre, and seventeenth in the Olympic Road Race. In the 2009 Tour de France, Vande Velde finished seventh in the overall standings.
Vande Velde crashed out of the 2010 Giro d'Italia on the third stage with a suspected clavicle break. Coincidentally, in 2009 he was forced out of the Giro after a crash, also on stage three. Vande Velde withdrew from the 2010 Tour de France upon completing the second stage, with two broken ribs. The crash was caused by oil leaking from a fallen television motorcycle.
During the 2011 Tour de France, Vande Velde assisted Tom Danielson to a top ten finish, and was an integral part of 's first place in the team classification. Vande Velde finished a close second at the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which was ultimately won by Levi Leipheimer ().
2012–2013
In the 2012 Giro d'Italia, Vande Velde was instrumental to the victory of his leader Ryder Hesjedal, protecting him in the mountain stages. He also was Hesjedal's roommate during the Giro, 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". 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 (). NBC Sports commentator Phil Liggett stated that amongst fans, Vande Velde was considered the most popular rider. 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 by ten seconds. With that run, he took the leader's jersey off the shoulders of 's Levi Leipheimer, and stepped atop the overall classification podium.
During Vande Velde's first race of the season, the 2013 Volta a Catalunya, Vande Velde crashed out with a metacarpal fracture. Vande Velde started the 2013 Giro d'Italia hoping to assist teammate Ryder Hesjedal in a repeat victory, however, Hesjedal withdrew following stage twelve. After Hesjedal's departure, Vande Velde struggled through the race, and finished hundred-tenth overall. Following his disappointing Giro, Vande Velde rode the 2013 Tour de France, but withdrew on stage seven due to sustained injuries from stage five. After the Tour de France, Vande Velde attempted to defend his USA Pro Cycling Challenge title, however, he rode a quiet race, and finished twenty-second overall. Vande Velde's strongest performance during the race was on stage five, when he placed ninth in the uphill individual time trial.
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. 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. 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. Vande Velde released his own statement a day later that expressed regret at his decision to "cross the line".
Personal life
Vande Velde currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina with his wife Leah, and their two daughters. He is an alumnus of Lemont High School.
Career achievements
Major results
;1999
: 1st Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Redlands Bicycle Classic
: 3rd Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
::1st [[File:Jersey white.svg|20px]] Young rider classification
: 4th Overall Circuit de la Sarthe
;2000
: 9th Grand Prix Eddy Merckx
;2001
: 4th Overall Three Days of De Panne
: 5th Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
;2002
: 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Volta a Catalunya
;2004
;2005
: 1st [[File:Jersey red.svg|20px]] Mountains classification Eneco Tour
;2006
: 1st Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de Luxembourg
: 2nd Overall Tour of Elk Grove
: 9th Overall Tour of California
;2007
: 1st Eindhoven Team Time Trial
: 2nd Overall Tour de Georgia
: 6th Overall Tour of California
;2008
: 1st USA Cycling Professional Tour
: Giro d'Italia
::1st Stage 1 (TTT)
: 1st [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall [Tour of Missouri](2008-tour-of-missouri)
::1st Stage 3 (TTT)
: 2nd Overall Circuit de la Sarthe
::1st Stage 2
: 2nd Overall Tour of the Bahamas
: 3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
: 3rd Overall [Tour of California](2008-tour-of-california)
: 4th Overall [Tour de France](2008-tour-de-france)
: 7th Overall Tour de Georgia
::1st Stage 4 (TTT)
: 10th Overall [Vuelta a Castilla y León](2008-vuelta-a-castilla-y-leon)
;2009
: 1st Stage 4 [Paris–Nice](2009-paris-nice)
: 7th Overall [Tour de France](2009-tour-de-france)
;2011
: 1st Stage 2 (TTT) [Tour de France](2011-tour-de-france)
: 2nd Overall [USA Pro Cycling Challenge](2011-usa-pro-cycling-challenge)
: 4th Overall [Tour of California](2011-tour-of-california)
: 5th Overall [Tour of Oman](2011-tour-of-oman)
: 6th Overall [Tour of Utah](2011-tour-of-utah)
;2012
: 1st [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall [USA Pro Cycling Challenge](2012-usa-pro-cycling-challenge)
: 1st Stage 4 (TTT) [Giro d'Italia](2012-giro-d-italia)
: 1st Stage 2 (TTT) [Tour of Utah](2012-tour-of-utah)
### Grand Tour general classification results timeline
::data[format=table]
| Grand Tour | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px|link=|alt=A pink jersey]] Giro d'Italia | [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px|link=|alt=A yellow jersey]] Tour de France |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | [114](2005-giro-d-italia) | — | — | [52](2008-giro-d-italia) | [DNF](2009-giro-d-italia) | [DNF](2010-giro-d-italia) | — | [22](2012-giro-d-italia) | [110](2013-giro-d-italia) | | | |
| — | [85](1999-tour-de-france) | — | [DNF](2001-tour-de-france) | — | — | [56](2004-tour-de-france) | — | [22](2006-tour-de-france) | [24](2007-tour-de-france) | [4](2008-tour-de-france) | [7](2009-tour-de-france) | [DNF](2010-tour-de-france) | [16](2011-tour-de-france) | [60](2012-tour-de-france) | [DNF](2013-tour-de-france) | | | |
| [[File:Jersey red.svg|20px|link=General classification in the Vuelta a España|alt=gold jersey]] Vuelta a España | [90](1998-vuelta-a-espana) | — | — | — | [25](2002-vuelta-a-espana) | — | — | [31](2005-vuelta-a-espana) | — | [39](2007-vuelta-a-espana) | — | — | [58](2010-vuelta-a-espana) | — | — | — | | |
::
Did not finish = DNF; In progress = IP; Voided results = struck through.
## References
## References
1. Stephen Farrand. (September 23, 2013). ["TTT world championships marks the end for Christian Vande Velde"](https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ttt-world-championships-marks-the-end-for-christian-vande-velde). *[[Future plc]]*.
2. (December 28, 2012). ["Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda Unveils 2013 Roster"](http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2012/12/28/team-garmin-sharp-barracuda-unveils-2013-roster). *Slipstream Sports LLC*.
3. ["Christian Vande Velde"](https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/bio/christian-vande-velde-2/).
4. [http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/teams/member/christian-vandevelde Featured Rider {{! Christian VandeVelde] {{webarchive. [link](https://web.archive.org/web/20120920052444/http://usaprocyclingchallenge.com/teams/member/christian-vandevelde). (2012-09-20 USA Pro Challenge, January 1, 2012.)
5. [http://christianvdv.com/bio/ Husband, Father Professional Cyclist] {{webarchive. [link](https://web.archive.org/web/20130831004708/http://christianvdv.com/bio/). (2013-08-31 Official Website, January 1, 2012.)
6. [http://www.usacycling.org/forms/Vande%20Velde_Christian_2008.pdf Christian Vande Velde Bio] USA Cycling, January 1, 2012.
7. {{usurped
8. [https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/07/14/who-is-this-christian-vande-velde/ Who is this Christian Vande Velde?] Biking Bis. July 26, 2008.
9. [http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/05/news/vdv-ready-for-giro-repeat-of-2008_114227 American Christian Vande Velde eager for another Giro jersey] VeloNews, May 7, 2010.
10. ["Christian Vande Velde Bio"](http://www.velobios.com/riders.garmin2009.vandevelde.htm).
11. [http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008/09/14/vande-velde-victorious-in-missouri Christian Vande Velde Victorious in Missouri!] {{Webarchive. [link](https://web.archive.org/web/20130902092204/http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008/09/14/vande-velde-victorious-in-missouri). (2013-09-02 {{UCI team code). GRS. 2013 ([[Boulder, Colorado]]: Slipstream Sports LLC). September 14, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
12. [http://velonews.competitor.com/?p=115576 Argyle goes awry: Vande Velde exits Giro as Farrar falls on GC] VeloNews.com: Argyle angst: Vande Velde leaves Giro after crash
13. [http://velonews.competitor.com/?p=91901 Mixed day for Garmin: CVV crashes out, Farrar takes second.] VeloNews.com: Mixed day for Garmin at the Giro: Farrar second, CVV crashes out
14. (2010-07-05). ["Vande Velde retires from Tour de France"](https://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news;_ylt=AmjhnR5GUYvQks8K1jRCwCB.grcF?slug=ap-tourdefrance-vandevelde).
15. [http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2011/07/23/race-report-danielson-secures-top-10-garmin-cervelos-poised-to-win-team-gc Race report: Danielson secures top-10, Garmin-Cervélo’s poised to win team GC] {{Webarchive. [link](https://web.archive.org/web/20120901171313/http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2011/07/23/race-report-danielson-secures-top-10-garmin-cervelos-poised-to-win-team-gc). (2012-09-01 {{UCI team code). GRS. 2011 ([[Boulder, Colorado]]: Slipstream Sports LLC). July 23, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
16. [https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/usa-pro-cycling-challenge-2-1/stage-6/results Leipheimer wins inaugural US Pro Cycling Challenge] Cycling News, August 28, 2011.
17. Malcolm Kelly. (May 27, 2012). ["Ryder wins! Hesjedal takes the Giro d'Italia"](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/2.720/ryder-hesjedal-wins-prestigious-giro-d-italia-1.1133409). *CBC Sports*.
18. (June 2, 2012). ["Q&A Vande Velde: 'We raced the Giro with a massive chip on our shoulders'"](http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/qa-vande-velde-we-won-the-giro-with-chip-on-our-shoulders-inside-hesjedals-historic-giro-win_222184). *2012 Competitor Group, Inc.*.
19. (July 16, 2012). ["Pierrick Fedrigo led two-man breakaway to win Tour's stage 15"](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20120716/tour-de-france-stage-15/).
20. "2012 Tour de France coverage on NBC".
21. (August 27, 2012). ["Vande Velde stuns Leipheimer, taking overall victory"](https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/usa-pro-cycling-challenge-2012/stage-7/results). *Future Publishing Limited*.
22. (March 21, 2013). ["Garmin Sharp rider sidelined again after serving six-month suspension"](https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vande-velde-suffers-fracture-after-volta-a-catalunya-crash). *Future Publishing Limited*.
23. (May 7, 2013). ["Vande Velde returns to Giro to defend Hesjedal's title"](http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/news/vande-velde-returns-to-giro-to-defend-hesjedals-title_285433). *2013 Competitor Group, Inc.*.
24. (May 7, 2013). ["Hesjedal, Wiggins withdraw from the Giro d'Italia"](http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/news/hesjedal-withdraws-from-the-giro-ditalia_287204). *2013 Competitor Group, Inc.*.
25. (May 21, 2013). ["Ryder Hesjedal recovering from upper respiratory tract infection"](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/ryder-hesjedal-recovering-from-upper-respiratory-tract-infection/article12046068/). *The Globe and Mail Inc.*.
26. (June 5, 2013). ["U.S. rider Christian Vande Velde out of Tour de France"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/cycling/2013/07/05/christian-vande-velde-out-of-tour-de-france/2492247/). *Gannett Company Inc.*.
27. (June 5, 2013). ["Veteran American rider Christian Vande Velde pulls out injured from Tour de France"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/veteran-american-rider-christian-vande-velde-pulls-out-injured-from-tour-de-france/2013/07/05/8bde2966-e587-11e2-bffd-37a36ddab820_story.html). *Washington Post*.
28. (August 19, 2013). ["Garmin Sharp chasing repeat success at USA Pro Challenge"](https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/garmin-sharp-chasing-repeat-success-at-usa-pro-challenge). *Future Publishing Limited*.
29. (August 15, 2013). ["Q&A: Vande Velde talks USA Pro Challenge"](http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/08/news/qa-christian-vande-velde-talks-usa-pro-challenge_299297). *2013 Competitor Group, Inc.*.
30. (August 25, 2013). ["Sagan makes it four in Denver"](http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/usa-pro-challenge-2013/stage-7). *Future Publishing Limited*.
31. (August 23, 2013). ["Van Garderen wins stage 5 time trial at USA Pro Challenge"](https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/usa-pro-challenge-2013/stage-5/results). *Future Publishing Limited*.
32. (September 22, 2013). ["Vande Velde to close out career at world TTT titles"](https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vande-velde-to-close-out-career-at-world-ttt-titles). *[[Future plc]]*.
33. [http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/09/news/vaughters-outs-garmin-riders-for-past-doping-in-online-forum_237650 Vaughters outs Garmin riders for past doping in online forum] Velo News, September 5, 2012.
34. [http://d3epuodzu3wuis.cloudfront.net/Vande+Velde+Christian+Affidavit.pdf Christian Vande Velde Affidavit] {{webarchive. [link](https://web.archive.org/web/20170313093928/http://d3epuodzu3wuis.cloudfront.net/Vande%2BVelde%2BChristian%2BAffidavit.pdf). (2017-03-13 USADA, September 25, 2012.)
35. [https://www.usada.org/cyclinginvestigationstatement.html U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team Investigation] USADA, October 10, 2012.
36. [https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/six-former-armstrong-usps-teammates-receive-bans-from-usada Six former Armstrong USPS teammates receive bans from USADA] Cycling News, October 10, 2012.
37. [http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/08/news/christian-vande-velde-strides-into-the-ring-and-throws-a-knockout-punch_236453 Christian Vande Velde strides into the ring and throws a knockout punch] VeloNews, August 26, 2012.
38. [http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/10/news/garmin-sharp-responds-to-usada-case-with-rider-statements_256645 Garmin-Sharp responds to USADA case with rider statements] Velo News, October 10, 2012
39. [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/sports/othersports/12cycling.html Cyclist Adds Flair to His Win] NY Times, March 12, 2009.
40. [https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/02/07/breaking-away-with-cyclist-christian-vande-velde/ Breaking away with cyclist Christian Vande Velde] Chicago Tribune, February 7, 2010.
41. [http://www.usacycling.org/christian-vande-velde.htm Christian Vande Velde's Profile] USA Cycling, January 1, 2012.
42. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/elitestreet/ct-elite-street-vande-velde-0331-biz-20160325-column.html Retired pro cyclist Christian Vande Velde sells Lemont house for $800,000] Chicago Tribune, March 26, 2016.
43. [http://www.chicagonow.com/pace-of-chicago/2012/07/pro-cyclistschicago-native-christian-vande-velde-as-tough-as-it-gets/ Pro Cyclist/Chicago Native Christian Vande Velde, As Tough As It Gets.] {{webarchive. [link](https://web.archive.org/web/20121018000452/http://www.chicagonow.com/pace-of-chicago/2012/07/pro-cyclistschicago-native-christian-vande-velde-as-tough-as-it-gets/). (2012-10-18 Chicago Tribune, July 16, 2012)
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"]
This article was imported from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Vande_Velde) and is available under the [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the [article history page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Vande_Velde?action=history).
::
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