A former downhill skier, from ages 12-19, Levi originally began cycling in 1987 to train for downhill ski racing. Eventually, he switched sports and raced bikes as an amateur in Belgium, turning pro in 1997. After a solid 1999 season, when he won the U.S. National Time Trial Championships, he was invited to join Lance Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Service Team. After a breakthrough third-place finish in the 2001 Tour of Spain, Levi jumped to the Dutch Rabobank team (2002-04) and then later to the German Gerolsteiner Team (2005-06). During that five year separation from USPS, Levi logged three top-10 Tour finishes at the Tour de France.
In 2007 Levi joined back up with his former USPS Director, Johan Bruyneel, with the Discovery Channel Team and went on to win the Tour of CA and finish third at the Tour de France. Levi has stayed with Johan since 2007, following him to Team Astana (’08 and ’09) and to Team RadioShack for 2010.
Away from racing, Levi organized a fundraiser in October of 2009, the "Levi's King Ridge Gran Fondo" bike ride, in his hometown of Santa Rosa. In just its first year the event had over 3,500 participants with nearly 6,000 expected in 2010.
Career Highlights
Grand Tour Starts: 12 Total Tour de France: 7 Giro d‘Italia: 2 Vuelta a España: 3
2009 1st overall and two stage wins at Tour of California 1st overall at Tour of Castilla y Leon 1st overall and stage win at Tour of the Gila Stage win (TTT) at Tour de France
2008 Bronze Medal (TT) at Beijing Olympic Games 1st overall at Amgen Tour of California 2nd overall and two stage wins at Vuelta a Espana
2007 3rd overall and stage win at Tour de France US National Road Race Champion 1st overall and two stage wins at Amgen Tour of California