Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) in Colorado(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Lance Armstrong works for Amgen Tour of California leader Levi Leipheimer in 2009(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Levi Leipheimer (US Postal) at the 2001 Vuelta a Espana(Image credit: AFP)
Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) in chase mode(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Levi Leipheimer at the Tour de France opening press conference(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Levi Leipheimer has confirmed to reporters in California that he is indeed retired after his six month ban for doping violations was completed on March 1.
His contract with Omega Pharma-Quickstep was terminated in the fallout of the US Anti-Doping Agency's release of its full dossier of evidence in the case against Lance Armstrong.
In his affidavit Leipheimer testified to a number of doping-related offenses, but also implicated himself, admitting to having used blood transfusions as recently as the 2007 Tour de France.
He lost his third place overall in that race as well as his prior results obtained from June 1, 1999 through to July 30, 2006 and from July 7 through to July 29, 2007.
Late last year he indicated he was looking for a team to race with for the 2013 season and that included riding the Tour of California, but that dream appears to have fizzled.
"I'm retired," he told The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa having been invited to speak to the crowd at the finish of the Tour of California, a race he won three times. "It's just been an unceremoniously retired."
Leipheimer insisted following his sacking that he quit doping after the 2007 season and that his subsequent results, including his three California titles from 2007 through 2009 were obtained clean.
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The 39-year-old explained that he is now "transitioning into the rest of my life" and focussing on running his eponymous GranFondo.
"I sort of miss racing," he said. "I still love riding my bike."
