Tom Zirbel

Tom Zirbel

Personal information
Born (1978-10-30) October 30, 1978
Clear Lake, Iowa, United States
Team information
Current team Rally Cycling
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Rider type Time trialist
Professional team(s)
2006–2009 Priority Health
2011 Jamis–Sutter Home
2012–2016 Optum–Kelly Benefit Strategies
Infobox last updated on
May 24, 2014

Tom Zirbel (born October 30, 1978) is an American road bicycle racing cyclist from Clear Lake, Iowa, riding for Rally Cycling.[1]

Career

He rode for Priority Health from 2006 to 2009. He came fourth in the UCI Road World Championships time trial in September 2009, and had signed to join UCI ProTour team Garmin–Transitions the following season.

In December 2009, a urine test taken at the 2009 USPRO Time Trial Championships the previous August, in which Zirbel came second, tested positive for DHEA.[2] Zirbel denied having taken the substance knowingly, but he nevertheless voluntarily accepted a two-year suspension, and immediately announced his retirement. His suspension was reduced in March 2011 to 18 months, which had already been served, in recognition of assistance given to the US Anti-Doping Agency. He suggested that, despite earlier comments about retiring, he would seek to resume his racing career. He maintains that he ingested the banned product inadvertently.[3]

In 2011, Zirbel rode for Jamis–Sutter Home. On May 28, 2011 he placed 2nd in the US Pro time trial championship, behind David Zabriskie. He joined Optum–Kelly Benefit Strategies for the 2012 season.[1] In an interview with cyclingnews.com in early 2016, Zirbel confirmed that the upcoming season would be his last as a professional cyclist before retiring.[4] In September of that year, he set a new American national hour record in Aguascalientes, Mexico, completing 53.037km to break the 1997 record of 51.505km set by Norman Alvis.[5]

Major results

2014
2nd National Time Trial Championships
2013
1st National Time Trial Championships
1st Stage 4 Volta ao Alentejo
9th Overall Tour of the Gila
1st Stage 3 (ITT)
2012
1st Stage 1 (ITT) Tour of Elk Grove
2011
2nd, USPRO Time Trial Championships
2009
4th, UCI World Time Trial Championships
4th, Overall, Tour of Missouri
2nd, USPRO Time Trial Championships
2nd, Overall, Redlands Bicycle Classic
2nd, Overall, Nature Valley Grand Prix
1st, Stage 1
2008
2nd, USPRO Time Trial Championships
1st, Tour of Utah, Stage 5
1st, Tour of the Gila, Stage 3
1st, Tour of Elk Grove, Stage 1
3rd, Overall, Tour of Elk Grove
8th, Overall, Cascade Cycling Classic
2013
1st National Time Trial Championships
2015
1st Stage 3 (ITT) Tour of the Gila[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Weislo, Laura (January 31, 2012). "Zirbel presented with Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  2. Kirsten Robbins (2009-12-28). "Zirbel announces positive for DHEA". Cycling News. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
  3. Kirsten Frattini (2011-03-29). "USADA ends Tom Zirbel's suspension early". Cycling News.
  4. Malach, Pat (11 February 2016). "Tom Zirbel to retire after 2016 season". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. "Zirbel sets new US Hour Record". cyclingnews.com. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  6. Weislo, Laura (2 May 2015). "Zirbel, Stephens win Tour of the Gila time trial". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
David Zabriskie
United States National Time Trial
Champion

2013
Succeeded by
Taylor Phinney


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