Levi Leipheimer desperate for a team, to help him come back at the Tour of California 2013
Levi Leipheimer was immediately sacked by his side, Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step after he confessed to doping, helping USADA in building a strong case against Lance Armstrong.
The cyclist is currently serving a six-month ban and is uncertain of his future team however, he is keen to participate at this year’s Tour of California.
Leiphiemer used doping to climb his way up the professional ladder, previously in his professional career and received a reduced suspension for saving USADA’s time after he confessed to his crimes.
His testimony helped the firm in joining the dots and establishing links between Lance Armstrong, Team US Postal, Johan Bruyneel, Dr. Luis del Moral, Dr. Michele Ferrari and trainer Jose “Pepe” Marti.
"I, Levi Leipheimer, accept the following sanction as a result of my doping offenses for my use of the prohibited substances EPO and testosterone and the use of prohibited blood transfusions”, the American admitted earlier last month.
“I used prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods during 2000 and 2001 while a member of the United States Postal Service Cycling Team, during 2002 through 2004 while on the Rabobank Cycling Team, during 2005 and 2006 while on the Gerolsteiner Cycling
Team and during 2007 while a member of the Discovery Channel Cycling Team," he concluded.
Levi was amongst 11 of Lance Armstrong’s former teammates that confessed to doping including, Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David
Zabriskie.
The 39-year-old claimed an overall victory at the Tour de San Luis 2012 along with a stage 3 and a stage 4 victory at the race.
He occupied the third overall position at the Tour de Suisse and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge 2012 with sixth place finishes at the Tour of California and the Tour of Utah 2012.
Tour of California 2013 begins on May 13, 2013 and the 39-year-old’s ban expires on March 1, 2013 and is entitled to ride the American eight-day race.
However, Leipheimer still needs to find a new home, a team who is willing to accept someone linked with the biggest doping scandal in the history of the sports, which can be a complicated business.
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