Kim Kirchen

Kim Kirchen (born 3 July 1978) is a Luxembourgish former road racing cyclist. He is the son of cyclist Erny Kirchen and the great-nephew of cyclist Jeng Kirchen.

Career Kirchen signed as a professional cyclist in 2000 with De Nardi-Pasta Montegrappa, and went on to join in 2001. For the 2006 cycling season, he joined the following the demise of the Fassa Bortolo team.

His first recorded race was in Dommeldange in 1999, and he had to wait until 2000 for his first professional victory when he won the Piva Col trophy. Kirchen was named the Luxembourgian Sportsman of the Year in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, surpassing the achievement of fellow cyclist Charly Gaul and putting him fourth in the all-time stakes.

In July 2008 he showed good form during the Tour de France, placing 7th in the general classification and wearing the yellow jersey for a total of four stages.

In 2010, Kirchen joined , after he was unable to agree with on a contract extension. He suffered a suspected heart attack during the 2010 Tour de Suisse, in June 2010. He did not race in 2011 because of the heart condition and later retired from the sport.

Since 2011, Kirchen co-commentates all cycling races broadcast on RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg, along with former Cofidis cyclist Tom Flammang.

Personal life Kim Kirchen was born on 3 July 1978, in Luxembourg. His father, Erny Kirchen, was a cyclist, notably winning the Flèche du Sud and being the national vice-champion in 1974.

Kim Kirchen started cycling at the age of 13 in 1992, with the Amis du Cyclisme de la Commune de Contern (ACC Contern), a renowned Luxembourgish club presided over by Marcel Gilles, where he notably rode alongside Fränk Schleck.

Kim Kirchen married Caroline in 2007. On 8 July 2010, just a few days after he emerged from a coma, his wife gave birth to twins, Liam and Mike.

Major results

1999

1st Coppa Città di San Daniele 4th Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships 2000 1st Trofeo Banca Popolare di Vicenza 2nd Time trial, National Road Championships 2nd Oberall Okolo Slovenska

1st Stage 3 4th Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships 4th Overall Jadranska Magistrala 9th Paris–Tours Espoirs 2001 Tour de Luxembourg

1st Stage 3 National Road Championships 2nd Time trial 3rd Road race 4th Overall Tour de Pologne 2002

1st Tour de Berne 9th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne 10th Overall Regio-Tour 2003 1st Paris–Brussels 1st Stage 6 (TTT) Tour Méditerranéen 4th Overall Tour de Suisse 4th Overall Tour de la Région Wallonne 8th Brabantse Pijl 2004

1st Stage 5 Tour de Luxembourg 6th Road race, Olympic Games 2005

1st Stage 7a 1st Trofeo Laigueglia 1st Gran Premio di Chiasso 2nd Road race, National Road Championships 2nd La Flèche Wallonne 2nd Coppa Placci 7th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali 1st Stages 1b (TTT) & 4 8th Overall Tour Méditerranéen 2006

Tour de Luxembourg

1st Prologue 2nd Gran Premio di Lugano 6th Gran Premio di Chiasso 2007 2nd Overall Tour de Suisse 2nd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico 3rd Overall Tour de Pologne 3rd Brabantse Pijl 3rd Milano–Torino 7th Overall Tour de France 1st Stage 15 2008 National Road Championships

4th Road race 1st La Flèche Wallonne 4th Overall Bayern Rundfahrt 7th Overall Tour de France 1st Stage 4

7th Overall Tour de Suisse 1st Stage 6 7th Overall Tour of the Basque Country 1st Stages 2 & 4 2009 National Road Championships

4th Road race 9th Overall Tour de Suisse 1st Stage 7 2010 6th Trofeo Deià

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

+ Legend — Did not compete DNF Did not finish