Chris Horner

PAA–NutraFig (1995–96)

Horner turned professional in 1995 with the PAA–NutraFig team. He captured his first major victory in a stage win of the Tour DuPont in 1996.

Française des Jeux (1997–99)

He was then asked to ride in Europe with French team Française des Jeux. From 1997 to 1999 he had three frustrating seasons with this team.

Mercury, Prime Alliance, Saturn, and Webcor (2000–2004)

In 2000 Horner returned to America to resume a record-setting domestic career, riding with Mercury in 2000, Prime Alliance in 2002, Saturn in 2003 and Webcor Builders in 2004. Horner has won almost every important race in the US racing calendar, with the notable exception of the USPRO National Championships.

Saunier Duval (2004–05)

Horner decided to move to Saunier Duval–Prodir after his top-ten finish in the 2004 UCI Road World Championships because he wanted to give the Tour de France a try. After being injured in the beginning of 2005, Horner showed strong performance in the USPRO Championships and won his first major European victory by taking the sixth stage of the 2005 Tour de Suisse. He then earned his place on the 2005 Tour de France team and nearly won the Miramas to Montpellier stage when he and Sylvain Chavanel refused to cooperate in the final kilometers and were caught by the peloton.

Davitamon and Predictor (2006–07)

He made a move to the Belgian UCI ProTour squad Davitamon–Lotto for the 2006 season.

For 2007 Horner signed with Ed Krall Racing for the cyclo-cross season.

Astana (2008–09)

In 2008 Horner moved to Astana. Horner earned the nickname "The Smiler" for his unflappable expression of happiness, even during the most excruciating physical challenges, and "The Yahoo Kid" for his wild exclamations after winning a race. Teammates Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong call him "The Redneck".

In the 2008 Cascade Cycling Classic Horner carried amateur cyclist and Nordic combined skier Bill Demong (who was from another team) with his broken bicycle to the finish line.

RadioShack (2010–11)

Horner won the fourth stage of the 2011 Tour of California, before taking overall victory.

2010

On October 4, 2009 it was confirmed that Horner would compete for Team RadioShack in the next two seasons. In one of his strongest European campaigns, Horner garnered first overall at the Tour of the Basque Country, including a stage win in the critical 6th stage individual time trial, defeating overall threat Alejandro Valverde. Horner also achieved several top 10 placings in the Spring classics of La Flèche Wallonne, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and the Amstel Gold Race. He and his RadioShack teammates did well at the Tour of California, with Horner putting on a particularly strong performance in the last stage of the race as a member of a final breakaway at Thousand Oaks. Horner finished fourth overall, 64 seconds behind winner Michael Rogers, and just 39 seconds behind teammate Levi Leipheimer in overall time. His good form also resulted in a 9th place overall at the Tour de France, as the first-placed American rider, in spite of dedicating himself in the first stages to supporting his captain Lance Armstrong.

2011

In 2011 Horner continued his success at the Tour of the Basque Country with a second-place finish, as well as 4th at the Volta a Catalunya. Horner then accomplished the highest-profile result up to that time by winning May's Tour of California stage race. He scored a major solo victory on the 4th stage, after making significant time gains on the day's final mountain finish in San Jose. He maintained his hold on the yellow jersey until the tour's queen stage, where he completed a two-man breakaway finish with teammate Levi Leipheimer to finalize the overall lead, and at age 39 became the oldest rider in history to win that tour. His participation at the Tour de France was short lived after a crash left him out of the competition.

RadioShack–Nissan (2012–2013)

2012

In 2012, Horner signed with RadioShack–Nissan. He started the Tirreno–Adriatico as his first race since July where he finished second after losing his lead in the final time trial to Vincenzo Nibali. He then finished 8th in the Tour of California, failing to defend his title. He then rode the Tour de France where he ended up finishing 13th overall after putting a good performance in the mountains.

2013

After suffering an injury in the beginning of 2013, Horner returned to action after winning stage 5 in the Tour of Utah and finishing 2nd overall. Less than three weeks later, in stage 3 of the Vuelta a España, Horner attacked over the last kilometer to win the stage and take the overall lead in the race. By doing this, he became the oldest rider in history (41 years and 307 days) who won a stage and wore the leader's jersey in a Grand Tour. He won again on stage 10, another uphill finish, reclaiming the lead. and setting a new record of the oldest rider (41 years and 314 days) to win a stage in a Grand Tour. Horner's success at that race continued and he won the race overall on September 15, 2013, the oldest ever Grand Tour winner..

He left RadioShack–Leopard at the end of the season, as his contract expired. He felt he was worth more than the team were willing to offer for a rider of his resume and ability.

Lampre–Merida (2014)

Horner joined Lampre–Merida for the 2014 season. In April, while training in Italy for the Giro d'Italia, he was hit by a car driver who subsequently fled the scene. Horner suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs in the accident, jeopardizing his participation at the Giro d'Italia. He elected not to compete in the Giro d'Italia; on June 30, 2014, Horner was named in Lampre's Tour de France squad, with Rui Costa as team leader.

He placed second in the mountainous Tour of Utah which he raced in preparation for the Vuelta a España. However, Horner withdrew from the Vuelta ahead of the first stage due to his cortisol levels dropping below the threshold considered healthy by the Mouvement pour un cyclisme crédible, of which Lampre–Merida is a member. The announcement followed Horner's usage of cortisone on prescription under a therapeutic use exemption to treat a case of bronchitis.

Lampre–Merida opted not to extend Horner's contract, and in December 2014 he announced he had signed a deal with UCI Continental team Airgas–Safeway for 2015.

Major results

General classification results timeline

Grand Tour general classification results timeline
Grand Tour	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Giro d'Italia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	—	—	—
Tour de France	—	—	—	—	—	—	33	61	14	—	—	9	DNF	13	—	17
Vuelta a España	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	20	36	—	DNF	—	—	—	1	—
Major stage race general classification results timeline
Race	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Paris–Nice	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	10	24	—	—	49	—	—	—	—
Tirreno–Adriatico	—	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	6	DNF
Volta a Catalunya	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	58	—	—	3	—	DNF	DNF
Tour of the Basque Country	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	31	DNF	41	DNF	1	2	9	—	—
Tour de Romandie	—	—	93	—	—	—	—	7	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Critérium du Dauphiné	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	34	—	DNF	—	9	—	—	—	—
Tour de Suisse	DNF	DNF	—	—	—	—	5	—	42	—	—	—	—	—	—	—