Stefan Schumacher

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Stefan Schumacher


image_caption = Schumacher at the 2006 Tour de Pologne
fullname = Stefan Schumacher
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|mf=yes|1981|7|21
country = GER
height = convert|1.83|m|abbr=on
weight = convert|68|kg|abbr=on
currentteam = Gerolsteiner
discipline = Road
role = Rider
ridertype = All-rounder/Time-trialist
amateuryears =
amateurteams =
proyears = 2002–2003
2004
2005
2006–2008
2009–
proteams = Team Telekom
Team Lamonta
Shimano-Memory Corp
Team Gerolsteiner
Quick Step
majorwins = Eneco Tour of Benelux (2006)
Amstel Gold Race (2007)
Tour de France (2008), 2 stages
updated = September 11, 2008

Stefan Schumacher (born July 21, 1981 in Großbettlingen, Esslingen) is a German professional road racing cyclist. First professionally employed with Team Telekom in 2002, he was released the following year. In 2006, he made his UCI ProTour debut with Team Gerolsteiner after posting impressive continental circuits results on the UCI Europe Tour.

Schumacher has been involved in a series of controversial incidents during his career. He was implicated in a doping case in 2005 when he tested positive for an amphetamine. His mother, a doctor, had prescribed an asthma medication after failing to find it on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances, and checking with the appropriate Dutch agency. He was cleared by the German cycling federation of a doping offence.

In 2006 Schumacher, now riding for Team Gerolsteiner, won the Eneco Tour of Benelux by one second after colliding with his main rival George Hincapie in the closing metres of the final stage, when time bonuses were available for the leading finishers. Schumacher claimed he had collided first with a spectator and the race jury accepted his story.

Following his third place in the 2007 world championships in his home town of Stuttgart, Schumacher was arrested for drunken driving. Four months later he revealed that the blood test taken at the time of his arrest had shown traces of amphetamines, whilst denying that he had knowingly taken drugs or had any knowledge of how the positive test had come about. Since a rule change in 2004 amphetamines were no longer on the WADA's out-of-competition banned list; as a result the German federation again exonerated him.

Schumacher, riding as leader of Team Gerolsteiner, won both time trials in the 2008 Tour de France, beating Swiss favorite Fabian Cancellara, and took the yellow jersey of race leader after the first.

On October 6, 2008, the media reported that Schumacher had tested positive for the controlled substance CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator), a new generation of EPO, in a blood sample taken during the 2008 Tour de France [ [http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/oct08/oct07news Piepoli and Schumacher Tour de France samples positive for CERA] ] . CERA was also the drug for which Italian cyclists Riccardo Riccò and Leonardo Piepoli tested positive during the Tour de France. Gerolsteiner are reported to have suspended Schumacher, and the German cycling federation is likely to take disciplinary action [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7655977.stm Tour rocked by new positive tests ] BBC News Monday, 6 October 2008]

Palmarès

;2002: 1st, U23 Competition, Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt: 1st, U23 Competition, Peace Race;2004: 1st, Overall, Druivenkoers Overijse: 1st, Stage 6, Bayern-Rundfahrt;2005: 1st, Overall, Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt (and Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4b wins): 1st, Overall, Ster Elektrotour: 1st, Overall, Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt: 2nd, Overall, Rund um Köln: 2nd, Overall, Hel van het Mergelland;2006: 1st, Overall, Tour de Pologne (and Stage 6 & 7 win): 1st, Overall, Eneco Tour of Benelux (and Prologue stage win): 1st, Stages 3 and 18, Giro d'Italia (2 days in Maglia rosa General classification leader's jersey): 1st, Overall, Circuit Cycliste Sarthe: 1st, Stage 4, Sachsen-Tour International;2007: 1st, Overall, Bayern Rundfahrt (and time trial stage win): 1st, Amstel Gold Race: 4th Overall, Tirreno-Adriatico:: 1st, (ITT)`:: 2nd, : 3rd (Bronze), UCI Road World Championships - Men's Road Race;2008: 25th overall, Tour de France::: 1st, Stage 4 (ITT): Cholet - Cholet:: 1st, Stage 20 (ITT): Cérilly - Saint-Amand-Montrond:: 1st, General Classification after Stages 4 & 5:: Most Combative Rider for Stage 16

Referemces

External links

*trapfriis|germany.Schumacher.htm

Persondata
NAME= Schumacher, Stefan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Road bicycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1981-07-21
PLACE OF BIRTH=Großbettlingen, Germany
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=