Christian Vande Velde [christian@thrivehfm.com]

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Christian Vande Velde is a seasoned professional cyclist and Olympian. He is currently in his 8th year as a European cycling pro and races for the CSC Cycling Team under the direction of Bjarne Riis. His professional career started with the US Postal Service in 1998. He helped Lance Armstrong win his first Tour de France in 1999. He continued to race with the US Postal Service Cycling Team until 2003 when he signed with the Liberty Seguros Cycling Team. After a strong ride in the 2003 edition of the Tour de France, he will be riding for the CSC Cycling Team this season.

His racing career started riding on the Velodrome (track) where Christian won the Senior Points Race as a junior. He subsequently was asked to join the US Team Pursuit Program. He lived at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs where he became very interested in sports science. During his years with the Project 96 program he received a wealth of knowledge in aerodynamics, power, altitude training and power. He continued in his winning ways and was named the USCF athlete of the year and brought home the World Cup overall in the individual pursuit.

Christian has an impressive race resume, having raced nearly every professional cycling race in Europe. He has raced the Tour de France three times (twice with the six time champion Lance Armstrong). He has also ridden the Vuelta Espana twice and represented the United States eight times at the World Championships.

Christian has been coached and advised by many world-class coaches including Dr. Allen Lim and Dr. Shannon Sovndal of Thrive. His father, John Vande Velde, was an Olympian in the 68' and 72' Olympics and one of the first professional cyclists to try and test the waters in Europe. Since 1998 he has based his racing career in Europe where he lives in Gerona, Spain. During the offseason, he returns to Boulder Colorado with his wife Leah.