Tom Zirbel (born October 30, 1978) is an American former road bicycle racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2006 and 2016 for the Bissell, Jamis–Sutter Home and Rally Cycling teams.
 Zirbel at the 2012 Tour of California | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 30, 1978 Clear Lake, Iowa, United States |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Time trialist |
| Professional teams | |
| 2006–2009 | Priority Health |
| 2011 | Jamis–Sutter Home |
| 2012–2016 | Optum–Kelly Benefit Strategies[1] |
Career edit
Born in Clear Lake, Iowa, Zirbel 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 United States National Time Trial Championships the previous August, in which Zirbel came second, tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (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 United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). 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 United States National Time Trial Championships, 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 53.037 kilometres (32.956 miles) to break the 1997 record of 51.505 kilometres (32.004 miles) set by Norman Alvis.[5]
Major results edit
- 2007
- Tour of Southland
- 1st Stages 1 (ITT) & 9
- 10th Tour de Leelanau
- 2008
- 1st Stage 3 Tour of the Gila
- 1st Stage 5 Tour of Utah
- 2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
- 3rd Overall Tour of Elk Grove
- 1st Prologue
- 8th Overall Cascade Cycling Classic
- 2009
- 2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
- 2nd Overall Redlands Bicycle Classic
- 2nd Overall Nature Valley Grand Prix
- 1st Stage 1 (ITT)
- 4th Time trial, UCI Road World Championships
- 4th Overall Tour of Missouri
- 2011
- 2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
- 3rd Univest Grand Prix
- 2012
- 2nd Overall Vuelta del Uruguay
- 5th Chrono Champenois
- 6th Overall Tour of Elk Grove
- 1st Stage 1 (ITT)
- 7th Duo Normand (with Scott Zwizanski)
- 2013
- 1st
Time trial, National Road Championships - 1st Stage 4 Volta ao Alentejo
- 9th Overall Tour of the Gila
- 1st Stage 3 (ITT)
- 2014
- 2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
- 2015
- 1st Stage 3 (ITT) Tour of the Gila[6]
- 2016
- 1st Stage 3 (ITT) Tour of the Gila
- 2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
References edit
- ^ a b Weislo, Laura (January 31, 2012). "Zirbel presented with Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
- ^ Kirsten Robbins (December 28, 2009). "Zirbel announces positive for DHEA". Cycling News. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
- ^ Kirsten Frattini (March 29, 2011). "USADA ends Tom Zirbel's suspension early". Cycling News.
- ^ Malach, Pat (February 11, 2016). "Tom Zirbel to retire after 2016 season". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ "Zirbel sets new US Hour Record". cyclingnews.com. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ Weislo, Laura (May 2, 2015). "Zirbel, Stephens win Tour of the Gila time trial". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
External links edit
- Team Profile
- Tom Zirbel at UCI
- Tom Zirbel at Cycling Archives
- Tom Zirbel at ProCyclingStats
- Tom Zirbel at Cycling Quotient
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