Kim Kirchen

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

Biography
Kim Kirchen was born on July 3, 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.

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.

Major results

 * 1999
 * 1st MaillotLuxemburgo.PNG Road race, National Road Championahips


 * 2001
 * 1st Stage 3 Tour de Luxembourg


 * 2002
 * 1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Ronde van Nederland
 * 1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour de Berne


 * 2003
 * 1st Paris–Brussels
 * 4th Overall Tour de Suisse


 * 2004
 * 1st MaillotLuxemburgo.PNG Road race, National Road Championahips
 * 1st Stage Tour de Luxembourg
 * 6th Road race, Olympic Games


 * 2005
 * 1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall Tour de Pologne
 * 1st Jersey green.svg Points classification
 * 1st Stage 7
 * 1st Gran Premio di Chiasso
 * 1st Trofeo Laigueglia
 * 1st Stage 4 Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
 * 2nd La Flèche Wallonne
 * 2nd Coppa Placci


 * 2006
 * 1st MaillotLuxemburgo.PNG Road race, National Road Championahips
 * 1st Prologue Tour de Luxembourg


 * 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
 * 1st MaillotLuxemburgo.PNG Time trial, National Road Championahips
 * 1st La Flèche Wallonne
 * Tour of the Basque Country
 * 1st Stages 2 & 4
 * 1st Stage 6 Tour de Suisse
 * 7th Overall Tour de France
 * 1st Stage 4
 * Held Jersey yellow.svg after Stages 6–9
 * Held Jersey green.svg after Stages 6–7 & 9


 * 2009
 * 1st MaillotLuxemburgo.PNG Time trial, National Road Championahips
 * 1st Stage 7 Tour de Suisse

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