Chris Horner
Encyclopedia
Christopher Horner is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour
team . A native and current resident of Bend, Oregon
, Horner dominated the American road racing scene by winning the points standings in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar
.
in 1996.
.
because he wanted to give the Tour de France
a try. After being injured in the beginning of 2005, Horner showed strong performance in the USPRO Championships and won his first major European victory by taking the sixth stage of the 2005 Tour de Suisse. He then earned his place on the 2005 Tour de France team and nearly won the Miramas to Montpellier stage when he and Sylvain Chavanel
refused to cooperate in the final kilometers and were caught by the peloton
.
for the 2006 season.
For 2007 Horner signed with Ed Krall Racing for the cyclo-cross
season.
. Chris earned the nickname "The smiler" for his unflappable expression of happiness, even during the most excruciating physical challenges, and "The Yahoo Kid" for his wild exclamations after winning a race. Teammates Levi Leipheimer
and Lance Armstrong
call him "The Redneck".
In the 2008 Cascade Cycling Classic
Horner carried racer Bill Demong
with his broken bicycle (who was from another team) to the finish line.
of the Fleche Wallone, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Amstel Gold. He and his RadioShack teammates did well at the 2010 Tour of California
, with Chris putting on a particularly strong performance in the last stage of the race as a member of a final breakaway at Thousand Oaks. Horner finished fourth overall, 1 min 4 sec behind winner Michael Rogers, and just 39 seconds behind teammate Levi Leipheimer in overall time. His good form also resulted in a 10th place overall at the Tour de France, as the first-placed US rider, in spite of dedicating himself in the first stages to supporting his captain Lance Armstrong.
In 2011 Horner continued his success at Pais Vasco with a second-place finish, as well as 4th in Catalunya
.
Chris Horner then accomplished the highest-profile result of his career by winning the May 2011 Tour de California
stage race. He scored a major solo victory on the 4th stage, after making significant time gains on the day's final mountain finish in San Jose. He maintained his hold on the yellow jersey until the tour's queen stage, where he completed a two-man breakaway finish with teammate Levi Leipheimer
to finalize the overall lead, and at age 39 became the oldest rider in history to win that tour.
His participation at the 2011 Tour de France
was short lived after a crash left him out of the competition.
1997
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
WD = withdrew
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
team . A native and current resident of Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
, Horner dominated the American road racing scene by winning the points standings in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar
USA Cycling National Racing Calendar
The USA Cycling National Racing Calendar is an annual competition of road bicycle racing events held in the United States and sponsored by USA Cycling. The NRC includes a men's and women's individual and team rankings based on points awarded at the events...
.
PAA-NutraFig (1995-1996)
Horner turned pro in 1995 with the PAA-NutraFig team. He captured his first major victory in a stage win of the Tour DuPontTour DuPont
The Tour DuPont was a cycling stage race in the United States held between 1991 and 1996. It was intended to become a North American cycling event similar in format and prestige to the Tour de France. The tour's name came from its sponsor, DuPont...
in 1996.
Française des Jeux (1997-1999)
He was then asked to ride in Europe with French team Française des Jeux. From 1997 to 1999 he had three frustrating seasons with this team.Mercury, Prime Alliance, Saturn, and Webcor (2000-2004)
In 2000 Horner returned to America to resume a record-setting domestic career, riding with Mercury in 2000, Prime Alliance in 2002, Saturn in 2003 and Webcor Builders in 2004. Horner has won almost every important race in the US racing calendar, with the notable exception of the USPRO ChampionshipsUSPRO National Championships
USPRO National Championships is the name given by USA Cycling, the United States national governing body of cycling, for a series of national championships.*United States National Road Race Championships*United States National Criterium Championships...
.
Saunier-Duval (2004-2005)
Horner decided to move to after his top-ten finish in the 2004 UCI World Road Cycling ChampionshipWorld Cycling Championship
The UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race and individual time trial...
because he wanted to give the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
a try. After being injured in the beginning of 2005, Horner showed strong performance in the USPRO Championships and won his first major European victory by taking the sixth stage of the 2005 Tour de Suisse. He then earned his place on the 2005 Tour de France team and nearly won the Miramas to Montpellier stage when he and Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003...
refused to cooperate in the final kilometers and were caught by the peloton
Peloton
The peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
.
Davitamon and Predictor (2006-2007)
He made a move to the Belgian UCI ProTour squad Davitamon-LottoDavitamon-Lotto
Omega Pharma-Lotto is a Belgian professional cycling team sponsored by the Belgian lottery and Omega Pharma.- Lotto :Lotto has a long history of cycling sponsorship, they began sponsoring 1984 with Tönissteiner-Lotto-Mavic-Pecotex. In 1985, it became prime sponsor of a team bearing only its name....
for the 2006 season.
For 2007 Horner signed with Ed Krall Racing for the cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
season.
Astana (2008-2009)
In 2008 Horner moved to the Astana TeamAstana Team
Astana is a professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Astana group, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan and named after its capital city Astana. Astana attained UCI ProTeam status in its inaugural year, 2007...
. Chris earned the nickname "The smiler" for his unflappable expression of happiness, even during the most excruciating physical challenges, and "The Yahoo Kid" for his wild exclamations after winning a race. Teammates Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
call him "The Redneck".
In the 2008 Cascade Cycling Classic
Cascade Cycling Classic
The Cascade Cycling Classic is the longest consecutively run elite road bicycle racing stage race in the United States . It takes place in the Central Oregon region and is based in Bend, Oregon. It is a regular fixture for most of North America's top cyclists and teams. In recent years the race has...
Horner carried racer Bill Demong
Bill Demong
Bill Demong is an American Nordic combined skier and Olympic gold medalist. Demong is a four-time Olympian competing in Nagano, Salt Lake City, Torino and Vancouver.-Career:...
with his broken bicycle (who was from another team) to the finish line.
RadioShack (2010-2011)
On October 4, 2009 it was confirmed that Horner would compete for in the next two seasons. In one of his strongest European campaigns, Horner garnered first overall at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco (Tour of the Basque Country), including a stage win in the critical 6th stage ITT, defeating overall threat Alejandro Valverde. Horner also achieved several top 10 placings in the Spring classicsArdennes classics
The Ardennes classics are three cycling classics held in mid-April in the Ardennes and Dutch Limburg. The races are notable for their hilly courses, and often have similar riders competing for the top positions as the races are held close after each other...
of the Fleche Wallone, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Amstel Gold. He and his RadioShack teammates did well at the 2010 Tour of California
2010 Tour of California
The 2010 Tour of California was the fifth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 16–23, and was the first edition of the race held in the month of May, after the first four occurred in February. It was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour...
, with Chris putting on a particularly strong performance in the last stage of the race as a member of a final breakaway at Thousand Oaks. Horner finished fourth overall, 1 min 4 sec behind winner Michael Rogers, and just 39 seconds behind teammate Levi Leipheimer in overall time. His good form also resulted in a 10th place overall at the Tour de France, as the first-placed US rider, in spite of dedicating himself in the first stages to supporting his captain Lance Armstrong.
In 2011 Horner continued his success at Pais Vasco with a second-place finish, as well as 4th in Catalunya
2011 Volta a Catalunya
The 2011 Volta a Catalunya was the 91st running of the Volta a Catalunya cycling stage race. It started on 21 March in Lloret de Mar and ended on 27 March in Barcelona, and consisted on seven stages...
.
Chris Horner then accomplished the highest-profile result of his career by winning the May 2011 Tour de California
2011 Tour of California
The 2011 Amgen Tour of California was the sixth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 15–22, and was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour. Originally scheduled for eight stages, the race was due to begin in South Lake Tahoe, but snow around the Lake...
stage race. He scored a major solo victory on the 4th stage, after making significant time gains on the day's final mountain finish in San Jose. He maintained his hold on the yellow jersey until the tour's queen stage, where he completed a two-man breakaway finish with teammate Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
to finalize the overall lead, and at age 39 became the oldest rider in history to win that tour.
His participation at the 2011 Tour de France
2011 Tour de France
-Pre-race favourites:2010 winner Alberto Contador was suspended from cycling during a doping investigation from September 2010 to February 2011, during which time 2010 runner-up Andy Schleck was regarded as the favourite. When the suspension was lifted, Contador declared his desire to compete in...
was short lived after a crash left him out of the competition.
Major results
1996- 1st Lancaster ClassicLancaster ClassicThe Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic is a professional road bicycle racing event held each June since 1992 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The Lancaster Classic is the first leg of the Pro Cycling Tour and the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling, which includes the Reading Classic and the...
- 1st Stage Tour DuPontTour DuPontThe Tour DuPont was a cycling stage race in the United States held between 1991 and 1996. It was intended to become a North American cycling event similar in format and prestige to the Tour de France. The tour's name came from its sponsor, DuPont...
1997
- 3rd GP Ouest-FranceGP Ouest-FranceGrand-Prix de Plouay Ouest-France is an elite cycle race held annually in late summer around a circuit based on the small Breton village of Plouay since 1931...
2000
- 1st
Overall, Le Tour de LangkawiLe Tour de LangkawiThe Tour de Langkawi is an annual cycling race which is held in Malaysia since 1996. The name of the event comes from the starting point of the first few editions, in Langkawi, Kedah, although some later editions did not include Langkawi in the race at all... - 1st Overall, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
2001
- 1st Overall, Solano Bicycle Classic
- 1st Stage 5 Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st Stage 3 Cascade Classic
2002
- Champion USA Cycling National Racing CalendarUSA Cycling National Racing CalendarThe USA Cycling National Racing Calendar is an annual competition of road bicycle racing events held in the United States and sponsored by USA Cycling. The NRC includes a men's and women's individual and team rankings based on points awarded at the events...
- 1st Overall, Fitchburg Longsjo ClassicFitchburg Longsjo ClassicFitchburg Longsjo Classic is an annual road bicycle racing stage race held in and around Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. It is notably the second oldest cycling race in the United States....
- 1st Overall, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st Stage 1
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Overall Sea Otter Classic
- 1st Stage 3
- 1st Overall Solano Bicycle Classic
- 1st Stage 1
- 1st Stage 3 Nature Valley Grand Prix
- 1st Stage 3 Cascade Classic
- 2nd National Championship, Road, ITT, Elite
2003
- Champion, USA Cycling National Racing CalendarUSA Cycling National Racing CalendarThe USA Cycling National Racing Calendar is an annual competition of road bicycle racing events held in the United States and sponsored by USA Cycling. The NRC includes a men's and women's individual and team rankings based on points awarded at the events...
- 1st Overall, Tour de Georgia
- 1st Mountains classification
- 1st Overall, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st Overall, Solano Bicycle Classic
- 1st Stage 1
- 1st Stage 4
- 1st San Francisco Grand PrixSan Francisco Grand PrixThe San Francisco Grand Prix was a road cycling race held in San Francisco, United States in early September. It was as a 1.HC event and in 2005 part of the UCI America Tour. It lasted five years....
(T-Mobile International) - 1st McLane Pacific Cycling Classic Road Race
- 1st Stage 2 Fitchburg Longsjo ClassicFitchburg Longsjo ClassicFitchburg Longsjo Classic is an annual road bicycle racing stage race held in and around Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. It is notably the second oldest cycling race in the United States....
- 1st Stage 3 Fitchburg Longsjo ClassicFitchburg Longsjo ClassicFitchburg Longsjo Classic is an annual road bicycle racing stage race held in and around Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. It is notably the second oldest cycling race in the United States....
2004
- Champion, USA Cycling National Racing CalendarUSA Cycling National Racing CalendarThe USA Cycling National Racing Calendar is an annual competition of road bicycle racing events held in the United States and sponsored by USA Cycling. The NRC includes a men's and women's individual and team rankings based on points awarded at the events...
- 1st Overall, Sea Otter ClassicSea Otter ClassicSea Otter Classic is a bicycling and outdoor life sports festival and trade show held on the former Fort Ord in Monterey, California since 1990. The classic is named in honor of the sea otter, an indigenous mammal which flourishes on the neighboring Pacific Coast.The Sea Otter Classic offers...
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Overall, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st Prologue
- 1st Stage 1
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Overall, Pomona Valley Stage Race
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Stage 3
- 1st Overall, Temecula Stage Race
- 1st Pine Flat Road Race
- 3rd Overall Tour de Georgia
- 9th Road Race World Championchips
2005
- 5th Overall Tour de SuisseTour de SuisseThe Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
- 1st Stage 6
2006
- 1st Stage 2 Tour de Romandie
- 10th Overall Paris–Nice
2007
- 5th Overall Tour de Romandie2007 Tour de RomandieThe 2007 Tour de Romandie served as the 59th edition of this event now held on the 2007 UCI ProTour. The stage race was held from May 1 through May 6, 2007 in the French speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy...
- 15th Overall Tour de France2007 Tour de FranceThe 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
2008
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de White Rock
- 7th Giro di Lombardia
2009
- 2nd Overall, Tour de l'AinTour de l'AinTour de l'Ain, also known as the Prix de l'Amitié , is an annual late season professional cycling stage race held mid-August. The first Tour de l'Ain was held in 1989 and was organized by Dante Lavacca, Armand Peracca and Maurice Josserand. From 1989 to 1992 it was an amateur event. In 1993 it...
- 1st
Points Jersey
- 1st
2010
- 1st Overall Vuelta al País Vasco
- 1st Stage 6 ITT
- 2nd Overall Giro di SardegnaGiro di SardegnaGiro di Sardegna is a stage road bicycle race held on the island of Sardinia, an Italian region. The race returned in 2009 after 11 years. It is now rated 2.1 and is part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
- 4th Overall Tour of California2010 Tour of CaliforniaThe 2010 Tour of California was the fifth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 16–23, and was the first edition of the race held in the month of May, after the first four occurred in February. It was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour...
- 10th Overall Tour de France2010 Tour de FranceThe 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996...
- 7th La Flèche Wallonne2010 La Flèche WallonneThe 2010 La Flèche Wallonne cycling race took place on 21 April 2010. It was the 74th running of the La Flèche Wallonne between Charleroi and Huy in Belgium. It was won by the World Champion Cadel Evans.-Teams:...
- 8th Liège–Bastogne–Liège2010 Liège–Bastogne–LiègeThe 2010 Liège–Bastogne–Liège monument classic cycling race took place on April 25, 2010. The race was won by Alexander Vinokourov after slipping into a breakaway with Alexandr Kolobnev...
- 10th Amstel Gold Race2010 Amstel Gold RaceThe 2010 Amstel Gold Race was the 45th edition of the Amstel Gold Race classic cycle race and took place on April 18, 2010. It was held on a 257.4 kilometres course from Maastricht to Cauberg as the sixth event of the 2010 UCI ProTour and the tenth event in the UCI World Ranking series...
2011
- 1st Overall Tour of California2011 Tour of CaliforniaThe 2011 Amgen Tour of California was the sixth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 15–22, and was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour. Originally scheduled for eight stages, the race was due to begin in South Lake Tahoe, but snow around the Lake...
- 1st Stage 4
- 2nd Stage 7
- 2nd Overall Vuelta al País Vasco
- 4th Overall Volta a Catalunya2011 Volta a CatalunyaThe 2011 Volta a Catalunya was the 91st running of the Volta a Catalunya cycling stage race. It started on 21 March in Lloret de Mar and ended on 27 March in Barcelona, and consisted on seven stages...
Grand Tour General Classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar... |
- | - | - | - | WD 2009 Giro d'Italia The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race... |
- | - |
Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... |
33 2005 Tour de France The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was... |
64 2006 Tour de France The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis.... |
15 2007 Tour de France The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain... |
- | - | 10 2010 Tour de France The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996... |
WD 2011 Tour de France -Pre-race favourites:2010 winner Alberto Contador was suspended from cycling during a doping investigation from September 2010 to February 2011, during which time 2010 runner-up Andy Schleck was regarded as the favourite. When the suspension was lifted, Contador declared his desire to compete in... |
 Vuelta a España The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... |
- | 20 | 36 2007 Vuelta a España The 2007 Vuelta a España, the sixty-second edition of the cycle race, took place from September 1 until September 23, 2007. For the first time in a decade, the race started in the region of Galicia, at Vigo, home to Óscar Pereiro, with a flat stage... |
- | WD 2009 Vuelta a España The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5.... |
- 2010 Vuelta a España The 2010 Vuelta a España was held from August 28 to September 19 and was won by Vincenzo Nibali. The race began in Seville and ended, as is tradition, in Madrid.The race covered... |
WD = withdrew