Kim Kirchen
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|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kim Kirchen |
| Nickname | Grim Kim |
| Born |
3 July 1978 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |
| Team information | |
| Current team | None |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | All-rounder |
| Amateur team(s) | |
| 1999–2000 | De Nardi-Pasta Montegrappa |
| Professional team(s) | |
| 2001–2005 | Fassa Bortolo |
| 2006–2009 | T-Mobile Team |
| 2010 | Team Katusha |
| Major wins | |
|
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Kim Kirchen (born 3 July 1978 in Luxembourg City) is a former Luxembourg road racing cyclist.
Kirchen signed as a professional cyclist in 2000 with De Nardi-Pasta Montegrappa, and went on to join Fassa Bortolo in 2001. For the 2006 cycling season, he joined the T-Mobile Team following the demise of the Fassa Bortolo team.
His first recorded race was in Dommeldange in 1999, and he had to wait until 2000 for his first professional victory when he won the Piva Col trophy. Kirchen was named the Luxembourgian Sportsman of the Year in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, surpassing the achievement of fellow cyclist Charly Gaul and putting him fourth in the all-time stakes.
In July 2008 he showed good form during the Tour de France, placing 7th in the general classification and wearing the coveted yellow jersey for a total of four stages.
In 2010, Kirchen joined Team Katusha–Alpecin, after he was unable to agree with Team Columbia–HTC on a contract extension. He suffered a suspected heart attack during the 2010 Tour de Suisse, in June 2010. He did not race in 2011 because of the heart condition and later retired from the sport altogether.
Since 2011, Kirchen co-commentates all cycling races broadcast on RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg, along with former Cofidis cyclist Tom Flammang.
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