Sebastian Lang Explained

Sebastian Lang
Fullname:Sebastian Lang
Birth Date:15 September 1979
Birth Place:Sonneberg, East Germany
Height:1.87m (06.14feet)
Weight:75kg (165lb)
Currentteam:Retired
Discipline:Road
Role:Rider
Ridertype:Time trialist
Proyears1:2002–2008
Proyears2:2009–2011
Majorwins:3-Länder-Tour (2006)
National Time Trial Champion (2006)
Hessen-Rundfahrt (2004)
Danmark Rundt (2003)
Karlsruheversicherungs GP (2003)

Sebastian Lang (born 15 September 1979 in Sonneberg) is a former German professional road bicycle racer and time trialist, who rode as a professional between 2002 and 2011. He rode on from 2002 until its demise in 2008, and in 2006 became Germany's national time trial champion.

In the 2008 Tour de France, on stage 9, Lang broke from the peloton 22 kilometers into the stage. He shook off his two breakaway companions on the category 1 col de Peyresourde, with another big difficulty to come, the col d'Aspin. He was passed on the latter by Riccardo Riccò, who would win the stage[1] only be excluded from the Tour later on for a positive test to the blood booster CERA.[2] With his long break, Lang earned the most combative award for the stage,[3] and raked in points for the best climber jersey, which he would wear from stages 12 to 14.

In 2011, Lang started and finished all three Grand Tours for, only the 31st rider to achieve this feat. He retired at the end of that season, aged 32.[4]

Major results

2000
  • 3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
    2001
  • 2nd Time trial, Under-23 World Road Championships
    2002
  • Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt
  • 1st Stages 1 & 4
    2003
  • 1st Overall Danmark Rundt
  • 1st Karlsruheversicherungs GP
  • 2nd Overall Tour of Rhodes
  • 1st Prologue
  • 3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
    2004
  • 1st Overall Hessen Rundfahrt
  • 1st Stage 4
  • 1st Young rider classification
  • 3rd Chrono des Nations
    2005
  • 1st Stage 5 Hessen Rundfahrt
  • 8th Time trial, UCI Road World Championships
    2006
  • 1st Time trial, National Road Championships
  • 1st LuK Challenge Chrono (Time trial with Markus Fothen)
  • 1st Overall 3-Länder-Tour
  • 1st Stage 3 (ITT)
  • 5th Time trial, UCI Road World Championships
    2007
  • 5th Time trial, UCI Road World Championships
    2008
  • Tour de France
  • Held King of the Mountains after Stages 12–14,
  • Combativity award Stage 9

    Grand Tour general classification results timeline

    Grand Tour20042005200620072008200920102011
    Giro d'Italia7156
    Tour de France786565737680113
    Vuelta a España7977
    Legend
    Did not compete
    DNFDid not finish

    Notes and References

    1. News: Ricco Rockets Ahead To Second Stage Victory. www.letour.fr. 13 July 2008. 14 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080714010037/http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/LIVE/us/900/journal_etape.html. 14 July 2008. dead. dmy-all.
    2. News: Tour de France tainted by third drug scandal. CNN. 2009 Cable News Network. 17 July 2008. 22 November 2012.
    3. News: Tour de France 2008 – Stage 9 (Toulouse – Bagnères-de-Bigorre). Meanderings along the narrow way. WordPress. 22 July 2012. 22 November 2012.
    4. News: Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: This year's retirees just faded away. VeloNews. 7 November 2011. 5 January 2012. John. Wilcockson.