Horner at the 2011 Tour of California
|
|
Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Christopher Lee Horner |
Nickname | The Hornet, The Second Best Climber in the World |
Born |
Okinawa, Japan |
October 23, 1971
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Weight | 70 kg (150 lb; 11 st) |
Team information | |
Current team | Lupus Racing Team |
Discipline | Road |
Role | Rider |
Rider type | All-rounder |
Amateur team(s) | |
1994 | Lite Beer |
1995-1996 | Nutra Fig |
Professional team(s) | |
1997–1999 | Française des Jeux |
2000–2001 | Mercury |
2002 | Prime Alliance |
2003 | Saturn |
2004 | Webcor Builders |
2005 | Saunier Duval–Prodir |
2006–2007 | Davitamon–Lotto |
2008–2009 | Astana |
2010–2011 | Team RadioShack |
2012–2013 | RadioShack–Nissan |
2014 | Lampre–Merida |
2015 | Airgas-Safeway |
2016– | Lupus Racing Team |
Major wins | |
|
Christopher Lee "Chris" Horner (born October 23, 1971) is an American professional road racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Lupus Racing Team. A current resident of Bend, Oregon, Horner has dominated the American road racing scene by winning the points standings in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. He won the Vuelta a España in 2013, becoming the oldest winner of any of cycling's grand tours in the process.
Horner turned pro in 1995 with the PAA-NutraFig team. He captured his first major victory in a stage win of the Tour DuPont in 1996.
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.
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 National Championships.
Horner decided to move to Saunier Duval–Prodir after his top-ten finish in the 2004 UCI World Road Cycling Championship 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.