Christophe Lévêque (born 11 February 1973) is a former-professional French "Mid/Current School" BMX racer.

Racing career Christophe Lévêque began BMX (bicycle motocross) racing in 1987, at age 14,Double A Marketing 1999 interview. and achieved first place in his first novice race. As an amateur, he was sponsored by the European division of Moto Cross Specialties.BMX Plus! September 1988 Vol.11 No.9 pg.28

He turned professional in December 1990 and achieved his first professional win in the United States the following year at the American Bicycle Association (ABA) Fallnationals.BMX Plus! February 1992 Vol.15 No.2 pg.22 Two months later, his first race on the senior professional circuit was a last-place finish at the National Bicycle League (NBL) Christmas Classic nationals.BMX Plus! April 1992 Vol.15 No.4 pg.18 (race results)

In 1992, Lévêque achieved his first senior pro win at the non-sanctioned charity Fifth Annual Race Against Drugs, in Palm Springs, California. His competition had included Eric Carter, Jamie Staff, Todd Corbitt and Todd Blaser in the main.BMX Plus! May 1992 Vol.15 No.5 pg.48

In January 1995, he broke his wrist while riding recreationallyBMX Plus! May 1995 Vol.18 No.5 pg.32 (photo caption) and required surgery in France.BMX Plus! June 1995 Vol.18 No.6 pg.4 He returned to racing at the ABA Winternationals on March 18.BMX Plus! July 1995 Vol.18 No.7 pg.34

There was a controversy regarding the 1995 ABA National  1 Pro championship. Lévêque had earned the most points but the title went to points runner-up Gary Ellis due to an obscure rule that only permitted an American citizen to win the title. The rule was revoked from the ABA rule book after the 1995 season ended.BMX Plus! April 1996 Vol.19 No.4 pg.66 With the rule change, Lévêque subsequently won the title in 1998 and 1999.

He injured his shoulder at the NBL Summer Nationals in July 1996,BMX Plus! November 1996 Vol.19 No.11 which kept him from racing through the following year.BMX Plus! December 1997 Vol.20 No.12 pg.42 Another injury at the ABA Fall Nationals in October 1998 laid him up for five months.bmxtreme.com September 19, 1999 interview During the ABA Grandnational in November 1999, he separated his shoulder in a crash.Snap BMX Magazine March 2000 Vol.7 Iss.3 No.41 pg.74 (photo caption)

At the NBL Easter Classic National in March 2002, Lévêque hurt his back and returned to FranceTransworld BMX August 2002 Vol.9 Iss.8 No.70 pg.29 for several surgeries to repair and eventually replace a ruptured disc, putting him out of racing for the season. In early October 2003, Lévêque broke his foot in a race in France.Double A Marketing news site from 2003.

While laid up from injuries in 2003, Lévêque started a BMX distribution company, US Pro Bikes.Pro profile page of Double A Marketing site

In March 2004, Lévêque shattered his heel and was laid up for eight months, due in part to complications from the healing process.GT Bicycles site. It did not respond to therapy, and Lévêque retired in mid-2005 due to accumulated injuries. His last professional race was a fourth-place finishABA.com 2005 Silver National results page. in the ABA Silver Dollar National in Reno, Nevada, on 9 January 2005.BMX World December 2005/January 2006 Vol.1 No.1 pg.7(Premier Issue)

Lévêque held a dozen French championships, a dozen International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF) championships, five Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) championships, and the 2001 ABA Golden Crank award for Pro of the Year.bmxtreme.com article

Further reading "Double Interview: Christophe Leveque & Brian Foster" BMX Plus! April 1996 Vol.19 No.4 pg.66 two separate non-interactive interviews with the pros Foster and Lévêque. "The New NBL #1 Pro Speaks" BMX Plus! December 1997 Vol.20 No.12 pg.42 Mini Interview of the 1997 NBL pro No.1 Lévêque. "Inside the Pro's Bikes" BMX Plus! July 1998 Vol.21 No.7 pg.93 Article about the racing machines of Lévêque and John Purse. "Specialized Signs Chris Lévêque" BMX Plus! January 1999 Vol.22 No.1 pg.92 "The Pro Upset of the Year...Christophe Leveque: ABA & NBL #1 Pro." BMX Plus! March 1999 Vol.22 No.3 pg.28 "The French Invasion" Snap BMX Magazine May 1999 Vol.6 Iss.3 No.31 pg.40 Joint interview with fellow countryman and racer Thomas Allier. "Q&A: If you could race one race over again, which would it be?" Snap BMX Magazine December 1999 Vol.6 Iss.10 No.38 pg.42 Single question interview asked of Lévêque and four other professional racers including Randy Stumpfhauser, Michelle Cairns, Neal Wood, and Jamie Lilly. "Christophe Leveque" Snap BMX Magazine January 2000 Vol.7 Iss.1 No.39 poster back "Interview: Christophe Leveque" Transworld BMX April 2003 Vol.10 Iss.4 No.78 pg.50 "The Flying Frenchman Calls It A Day" BMX World December 2005/January 2006 Vol.1 No.1 pg.7(Premier Issue)

References

External links The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website. The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.

September 19, 1999 BMXtreme.com Interview