‘I don't want to stop like this,’ Levi Leipheimer
Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step sacked Levi Leipheimer after he agreed to have doped previously in his career and also confessed the use of blood transfusions as recent as in 2007.
"We commend the rider for his open co-operation with USADA and contribution to cleaning up the sport of cycling," the team press release stated.
"However, in the light of the disclosures made by Mr Leipheimer in his public statement on 10th of October the team has decided to terminate the contract."
The cyclist broke his silence after recording the statement against Lance Armstrong and Team Manager Johan Bruyneel in order to help the USADA investigation on the American.
The firm appreciated Leipheimer’s cooperation and gave him a six-month reduced ban for using performance enhancing drugs.
He has also been stripped off from all the victories since June 1999 to 30 July 2006 as well as from 7-29 July 2007.
It cost him as many as five Tour de France overall spots with four top-ten finishes including a third overall spot during the Tour de France 2007.
The American is also disqualified from his third overall position during the Vuelta a Espana 2001 which was also his first ever Grand Tour appearance.
While speaking to the Press Democrat, the cyclist revealed that he is still looking for a new home and will not let the doping charges be the highlight of his career as he intends to join the peloton after serving the ban.
"I don't want to stop like this," he said.
"Do I make this decision to dope and continue to see how far I can go? Or do I regret it for the rest of my life because I didn't find out how good I was. It was damned if you do, damned if you don't".
The 38-year-old insists that he gave up doping after 2007 and is proud of all the subsequent results including the Tour of California, the Olympic bronze and the second place finish at the Vuelta a Espana.
It will be interesting to see if Leipheimer manages to find a new home after the completion of his six-month ban as he definitely know a lot of people in the business after working as a professional cyclist for almost one and a half decade.
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