(This article appeared originally in the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat on 9/17/07.)
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Levi Leipheimer concluded his career season of content by pedaling in circles for about 2 1/2 hours Sunday.
Most cyclists don't like to race the high-speed repetitive treks often held around city attractions. They're largely contested to appease hosting cities and spectators, riders advance in close-knit formation and the potential for crashes is severe.
But events like the Tour of Missouri, organized in conjunction with chamber of commerce and tourism board officials, often finish with circuit races. And such was the case for Leipheimer and the other 98 riders in the inaugural race that dissected the state for six days.
Like he did in the Tour de Georgia in April, Leipheimer missed a key substantial early race break that included teammate and race winner George Hincapie and was removed from overall race contention.
But Leipheimer won the third stage time trial and rode in support of Discovery Channel teammate and race winner George Hincapie and finished 14th overall.
Beyond Hincapie's win, the race had several sub-plots, most notably serving as the Discovery Channel team's final North American race.
(Other team members are currently competing in the Tour of Spain.)
But for American-based fans, the tenure of the team that under the banner of its current sponsor and former sponsor, the United States Postal Service, produced eight Tour de France champions has ended.
The race also mark the end of the best of Leipheimer's 10 pro seasons. Beginning with the Tour of California in February when he won the prologue, a time trial and the overall title, Leipheimer won a combined nine stages and overall titles, included his first national pro road title earlier this month in South Carolina.
"This year obviously has been my best ever," said Leipheimer, who will turn age 34 on Oct. 24. "I trained really hard this winter with the Tour of California in my mind. It was sort of the short-term goal.
"And I knew with that goal, I would come into the season with great fitness and I was able to carry that. I stayed very focused throughout the year and took care of myself."
Leipheimer's long primary goal, of course, was a strong effort the Tour de France. He'd finished in the top-10 overall three times, but entered this year longing for a final-day, top-three podium.
But Leipheimer's status in the Tour de France was unknown. His team had also hired Italian Ivan Basso, the 2006 Tour of Italy winner and runner-up to Lance Armstrong in the 2005 Tour de France. But Basso's tenure with Discovery Channel was short-lived after he admitted to doping and received a two-year ban.
Basso's departure thrust Leipheimer into a team leader role until Spanish teammate Alberto Contador's quick ascension. As the Tour de France progressed, Contador became the team leader and Leipheimer rode in support. By race's end, Contador was the surprise winner; Leipheimer won the 19th stage individual time trial — his first Tour de France stage win — and f
inished third overall.
"I was good in California, Georgia and the Tour de France as well and even the Tour of Germany and again last weekend (USPro Championships)," said Leipheimer. "It's been much more than I could have expected."
"But if If you were to go back and look at my results in my career, I've definitely inched ahead every year. I've worked and made that little bit of improvement every year, so I just think I'm getting to the point now where I'm very experienced and it's paying off. I'm just as motivated now as before."
Leipheimer's stellar season was not unexpected, rather what other top riders have also experienced — perseverance pays off.
"I don't think it's anything special," said Mike Sayers, the veteran pro from Sacramento who rode on the same amateur team with Leipheimer in 1996 and a current member of the BMC team based in Santa Rosa.
"He's very tenacious. He trains harder than 99 percent of the guys. He makes sure everything is perfect. He leaves nothing to chance, and there aren't a lot of guys who do that. But you do that long enough, you're going to go to the top. Talent of course is the one thing that makes in possible. But all of the top Tour are of the same talent, so it's just the guys who do the little things better than anyone else."
But what, where and for whom Leipheimer rides next is still unknown.
While several teammates have signed contracts, Leipheimer reiterated throughout the Tour of Missouri that he hasn't determined what team will be his next employer.
But there has been plenty of speculation.
Johan Bruyneel, the current Discovery Channel team director who guided Lance Armstrong recently announced his retirement. But he recently also said he's discussed a position with Astana, the controversial squad from Kazakhstan which left this year's Tour after team leader and Alexander Vinokourov failed a mid-race drug test.
If Bruyneel accepts the position, he may pursue both Leipheimer and reigning Tour de France titlist Alberto Contador of Spain to join him.
But Leipheimer has also reportedly had discussions with the Belgium squad Predictor-Lotto and the American squad Slipstream, which has signed several top Americans and hoping to gain wild-card berth in next year's Tour.
Whatever team next employs Leipheimer will be the rider's six pro team. He turned professional in 1997 and first rode with Saturn in 1998-99. He then spent two seasons with U.S. Postal, moved to the Dutch team Rabobank for three years and then to the German team Gerolsteiner for two seasons before joining Discovery Channel.
Here are Leipheimer's top 2007 results:
1st Stage #3 Tour of Missouri 1st USPRO Road Race Championships 1st Stage #4 Tour de Georgia 1st Stage #5 Tour de Georgia 1st prologue Amgen Tour of California 1st Stage #5 Amgen Tour of California 1st Overall Amgen Tour of California 1st Stage #19 Tour de France 1st Copperopolis Road Race 2nd Overall Tour of Germany 2nd Stage #3 Amgen Tour of California 2nd Stage #16 Tour de France 2nd prologue Dauphiné Libéré 3rd Overall Tour de France 3rd Stage #8 Tour of Germany
