Discovery Cycling Team

Levi Leipheimer gave his first steps into cycling in 1985 when he was 12 years as a competitive skier, in 1987 he began training for the Alpine skiing downhill, later to become a professional cyclist in 1997. In 1998 began as a cyclist sponsored by Saturn and was able to win the U.S. National Time Trial Championship in 1999, after his success, he joined the U.S. Postal Service cycling team.

His first international experience in the Vuelta a Espaaħa in 2001 by finishing third, he was invited to join the Dutch team Rabobank as a leader and during his appearance in the Tour de France, he became the eighth overall . This year, he re-signed to the Discovery Channel team (formerly U.S. Postal) and finished third in the last Tour de France.

Because of doping scandals in the sport of cycling team Discovery Channel has been the main sponsor stop subsidizing them. The finding of a new sponsor has become very difficult if not impossible for a team as big so it was decided to disband the team by the end of this year ... Because of the situation all the members had to find new teams.

Several members of Discovery Channel Team Astana were recruited, among them Sergio Paulihno Portuguese, Spaniard Benjamin Noval, Janez Brajikovic Slovenia, last year's Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain and Team Discovery manager Johan Bruyneel earlier that Lance Arsmtrong helped his seven consecutive yellow jersey triumphs in the biggest cycling event in the world, the Tour de France.

Bruyneel is without doubt is a strong leader with a great background and is perhaps the main reason so many members of the "old" team moved to Astana. Leipheimer admitted she is one of its main reasons: he said: "A lot of that has to do with Johan and the staff and how I am with them," (...) "This is not exactly the same riders, but there will be the same philosophy and understanding there. "

Astana cycling team race sponsored by the Astana group, belonging to companies of Kazakhstan has been involved in a lot of controversy because many cases of doping of some of its members. It is likely the team will face skepticism by cycling authorities, public and media. "I certainly do not give up because of what happened," said Leipheimer. "Sport is getting better, going in the right direction and I am excited to see that."