Andreas Klier (born 15 January 1976) is a retired German professional road racing cyclist. He competed professionally between 1996 and 2013. Klier moved into a managerial role with his final professional team, , after announcing his retirement as a rider on 13 May 2013. As of 2024 he remains a sports director with its successor team EF Education–EasyPost.
Born in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany, Klier currently resides in the Balearic Island of Mallorca. In April 2011, during a training ride, he avoided a collision with a car, from that moment onwards he had a bit of oak installed into his bike frame and thus could avoid accidents by touching wood. Bikes were sold with oak to raise money for the Plant for the Planet charity.Bacon, E. (2014). The Best of Luck. In: E. Bacon and L. Birnie, ed., The Cycling Anthology: Volume One. London: Yellow Jersey Press, pp.178-191.
On 15 August 2013, Klier admitted he used performance-enhancing drugs between 1999 and 2006. As a result, some of his results, including a stage win at the 2007 Vuelta a España, were voided.
In addition to his career in cycling, Klier took up painting after seeing works by Max Beckmann at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston during a layover on a business trip. His solo exhibition Alpha was held at the Gerhard Braun Gallery in Palma de Mallorca in 2023. Canvases sold for between 7,000 and 10,000 euros.
Career
Doping confession On 15 August 2013, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced that Klier would be suspended for six months after admitting to doping during the period of 1999 to 2006. Later that day, the organization issued a statement confirming his acceptance to a six-month ban from 12 August 2013 to 18 February 2014. The action also included the stripping of all race results from 21 July 2005 onwards. Klier released his own statement later that day, which expressed regret at his decision of "chose[ing] the wrong path." "Along the road to the top of the sport, many years ago, I chose the wrong path, and I have been very sorry for it ever since. To everyone both in and out of cycling including my family, the fans, the sponsors, the sport I love, my peers, – especially those who made the right choices – I am deeply sorry," he said.
Career achievements Major results Sources:
1998 10th Grand Prix Pino Cerami 1999 10th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico 2000 3rd Circuit Franco-Belge 7th Gent–Wevelgem 9th E3 Harelbeke 2001 6th Sparkassen Giro Bochum 7th Scheldeprijs 2002 1st Grote Prijs Jef Scherens 2003 1st Gent–Wevelgem 2004 6th Tour of Flanders 7th E3 Harelbeke 10th Gent–Wevelgem 2005 2nd E3 Prijs Vlaanderen 2nd Tour of Flanders 4th Overall Tour of Saxony 10th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
2005 8th Road race, UCI Road World Championships 9th Overall Eneco Tour of Benelux 2006 9th Tour of Flanders 2007 1st Stage 13 Vuelta a España 6th Overall Tour of Qatar 2008 10th GP Fina - Fayt-le-Franc 2009 5th Overall Tour of Qatar 5th Gent–Wevelgem 7th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2011 5th Overall Bayern-Rundfahrt
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
Grand Tour 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Giro d'Italia78—————————————— Tour de France—105————————152167——— Vuelta a España74—119DNFDNF—107—DNF———158——
+LegendDSQDisqualifiedstruck outVoided resultsDNFDid not finish
References
External links
Cycling Base: Andreas Klier