Jonathan Vaughters
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Vaughters is an American
former professional racing cyclist and current manager of the professional cycling team.
youth cycling series in Colorado. Gifted as a natural climber, he was soon to be noticed. In 1993, he was second in the Tour of Venezuela, in which he participated with the U.S. amateur team. He was recruited for the next season by the professional team Santa Clara, led by José Luis Nunes, a Catholic member of Opus Dei. Despite the fears of his parents, he left for Europe in order to start his professional career. According to Vaughters was a very conservative team with hostile management who even made his bike "disappear" in order to discourage him from continuing.
In 1997 he moved to the Comptel Data team, entering races he described as "A thousands times easier than being in Europe." He had a successful season becoming US National Time Trial Champion, and was 3rd in the National Road Race. His successes led to him signing for U.S. Postal Service cycling team. He won the time trial of the Dauphine Libere and finished 2nd overall to Alexandre Vinokourov after losing the top spot on the final stage. He then went on to win the Route du Sud in preparation for the Tour de France
where he went on to help Lance Armstrong
win his first Tour de France
in 1999
. In that Tour, he earned the nickname "El Gato" (The Cat in Spanish) after he landed on his feet after being thrown headfirst over his handlebars in the first stage. In the second stage, he cut his chin in a crash, and had to abandon the race. However, this just solidified his reputation as a somewhat innocent victim in a long series of ill-timed crashes, with an uncanny knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In 2000, Jonathan Vaughters joined the French team Crédit Agricole
. In the early part of the season he was third in the Tour Méditerranéen, sixth in Paris-Nice and the Critérium International. In June, he was fifth in the Criterium du Dauphine Libere, after placing fourth in the stage of the Mont Ventoux. In July, he participated in the Tour de France and abandoned during the tenth stage after a fall on the descent of the Col de Marie-Blanque. In 2001, he won the time trial in the Dauphine Libere, and the Duo Normand with teammate Jens Voigt
. During the Tour de France, he was part of the winning team in the team time trial. He was again forced to retire from the Tour however, Suffering from a wasp sting above his right eye during the 14th stage, and it is prohibited by the Union Cycliste international to use cortizone for the treatment of any wounds. In 2002, he participated in his fourth and final Tour de France as a rider, but failed again to reach the end of the race. He abandoned at the eleventh stage after falling in the descent of the Col d'Aubisque. Following the abandonment, he requested and received the termination of its contract with the Credit Agricole team which was due to run until the end of 2003. He retired from racing, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
After returning to America he signed in 2003 for the U.S. team Prime Alliance 2003. He ended his career as a cyclist at the end of that year.
Vaughters was a specialist climber and was touted as a Stage race specialist. He won the Mont Ventoux
stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in 1999 and 2001, and held the record for the fastest ascent until it was broken by Iban Mayo
in 2004.
Vaughters also holds the Cycle To The Sun record time of 2:38 set in 1993 for climbing Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii
. The record however has been unofficially beaten by Ryder Hesjedal
, who climbed the volcano in 2:32.
In early 2005 Vaughters met Doug Ellis at the launch party for the new season. A computer engineer specializing in financial management software, Ellis was a huge fan of cycling since the 1980s. From 2006, the team became the property of sports management Slipstream Sports, chaired by Doug Ellis with a view to creating an American Pro-Tour team by 2009. In 2007, with the absence of a title sponsor the team operated under the name Slipstream, and later Slipstream Sports - powered by Chipotle. A professional continental team in 2007 and a ProTour team in 2009 they participated for the first time in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 2008. In February 2009, Jonathan Vaughters was elected president of the International Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP). Vaughters' Garmin-Cervélo squad took the top position in the team classification in the 2011 Tour de France.
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former professional racing cyclist and current manager of the professional cycling team.
Racing career
Jonathan Vaughters got involved in cycling in the 1980s, racing in the Red Zinger Mini ClassicsRed Zinger Mini Classics
Red Zinger Mini Classics is a series of youth boys and girls road bicycle races held annually across the state of Colorado from 1981–1992, and revived again in 2010...
youth cycling series in Colorado. Gifted as a natural climber, he was soon to be noticed. In 1993, he was second in the Tour of Venezuela, in which he participated with the U.S. amateur team. He was recruited for the next season by the professional team Santa Clara, led by José Luis Nunes, a Catholic member of Opus Dei. Despite the fears of his parents, he left for Europe in order to start his professional career. According to Vaughters was a very conservative team with hostile management who even made his bike "disappear" in order to discourage him from continuing.
In 1997 he moved to the Comptel Data team, entering races he described as "A thousands times easier than being in Europe." He had a successful season becoming US National Time Trial Champion, and was 3rd in the National Road Race. His successes led to him signing for U.S. Postal Service cycling team. He won the time trial of the Dauphine Libere and finished 2nd overall to Alexandre Vinokourov after losing the top spot on the final stage. He then went on to win the Route du Sud in preparation for the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
where he went on to help Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
win his first Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
in 1999
1999 Tour de France
The 1999 Tour de France was the 86th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 1999. It was won by Lance Armstrong, his first of 7 consecutive wins, the most in Tour history. There were no French stage winners for the first time since the 1926 Tour de France.The 1999 edition of Tour de...
. In that Tour, he earned the nickname "El Gato" (The Cat in Spanish) after he landed on his feet after being thrown headfirst over his handlebars in the first stage. In the second stage, he cut his chin in a crash, and had to abandon the race. However, this just solidified his reputation as a somewhat innocent victim in a long series of ill-timed crashes, with an uncanny knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In 2000, Jonathan Vaughters joined the French team Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole (cycling team)
Crédit Agricole was a French professional cycling team managed by Roger Legeay and sponsored by the French bank, Crédit Agricole, since 1997. Before 1997 the team was known as GAN. Since 2005, the team is one of the 20 that compete in the UCI ProTour. Crédit Agricole announced that they would...
. In the early part of the season he was third in the Tour Méditerranéen, sixth in Paris-Nice and the Critérium International. In June, he was fifth in the Criterium du Dauphine Libere, after placing fourth in the stage of the Mont Ventoux. In July, he participated in the Tour de France and abandoned during the tenth stage after a fall on the descent of the Col de Marie-Blanque. In 2001, he won the time trial in the Dauphine Libere, and the Duo Normand with teammate Jens Voigt
Jens Voigt
Jens Voigt is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . Voigt is known for his propensity to attack, and for his positive racing attitude. He is capable of repeated attacking, holding a high tempo, and breaking away from the peloton...
. During the Tour de France, he was part of the winning team in the team time trial. He was again forced to retire from the Tour however, Suffering from a wasp sting above his right eye during the 14th stage, and it is prohibited by the Union Cycliste international to use cortizone for the treatment of any wounds. In 2002, he participated in his fourth and final Tour de France as a rider, but failed again to reach the end of the race. He abandoned at the eleventh stage after falling in the descent of the Col d'Aubisque. Following the abandonment, he requested and received the termination of its contract with the Credit Agricole team which was due to run until the end of 2003. He retired from racing, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
After returning to America he signed in 2003 for the U.S. team Prime Alliance 2003. He ended his career as a cyclist at the end of that year.
Vaughters was a specialist climber and was touted as a Stage race specialist. He won the Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald...
stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in 1999 and 2001, and held the record for the fastest ascent until it was broken by Iban Mayo
Iban Mayo
Iban Mayo Diez is a professional road bicycle racer. His successes have been overshadowed by doping....
in 2004.
Vaughters also holds the Cycle To The Sun record time of 2:38 set in 1993 for climbing Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The record however has been unofficially beaten by Ryder Hesjedal
Ryder Hesjedal
Ryder Hesjedal is a Canadian professional racing cyclist for . He is a former mountain biker, winning a silver medal at the 2001 Under-23 world championship...
, who climbed the volcano in 2:32.
Managerial career
During 2003 he launched the new launched in 5280/Subaru junior team originally based in Colorado. Recruitment was done by Vaughters and Prime Alliance director Roy Knickman with Colby Pearce as the head Sporting Director. In 2004, Vaughters took effective management of the team and in 2005 it was split between the 5280 junior team and the continental team TIAA-CREF.In early 2005 Vaughters met Doug Ellis at the launch party for the new season. A computer engineer specializing in financial management software, Ellis was a huge fan of cycling since the 1980s. From 2006, the team became the property of sports management Slipstream Sports, chaired by Doug Ellis with a view to creating an American Pro-Tour team by 2009. In 2007, with the absence of a title sponsor the team operated under the name Slipstream, and later Slipstream Sports - powered by Chipotle. A professional continental team in 2007 and a ProTour team in 2009 they participated for the first time in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 2008. In February 2009, Jonathan Vaughters was elected president of the International Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP). Vaughters' Garmin-Cervélo squad took the top position in the team classification in the 2011 Tour de France.
Palmarès
1995- 1st
Overall Tour of Gila
- 1st Stage 1
1997
- 1st
United States National Time Trial ChampionUnited States National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe United States National Time Trial Championships are held annually to decide the American champions in this discipline, across various age and gender categories.... - 1st Mt. Evans Hill ClimbMt. Evans Hill ClimbThe Mt. Evans Hill climb is a bicycle race that takes place on Mount Evans, Colorado. It was run for the first time in 1962. The race has been held 41 times with only three years canceled. The race was renamed in 1981 in honor of five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of...
- 1st Stage 2 Redlands Bicycle Classic
- 1st Overall Tour de Beauce
- 1st Stage 3
- 1st Stage 4
- 1st Overall Cascade Classic
1998
- 1st Overall Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Stage 3
1999
- 1st Overall Route du SudRoute du SudThe Route du Sud is a road bicycle race held annually in Southern France. It was first held in 1977 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour...
- 1st Mt. Evans Hill ClimbMt. Evans Hill ClimbThe Mt. Evans Hill climb is a bicycle race that takes place on Mount Evans, Colorado. It was run for the first time in 1962. The race has been held 41 times with only three years canceled. The race was renamed in 1981 in honor of five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of...
- 1st Stage 4 Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1st Stage 3 (Mont Ventoux)
2000
- 3rd Overall Tour MéditerranéenTour MéditerranéenTour Méditerranéen is a professional road bicycle racing event held in southern France along the Mediterranean Sea. The Tour Méditerranéen is a five-day stage race that began in 1974 and since 2005 has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event...
2001
- 1st Stage 5 TTT Tour de France2001 Tour de FranceThe 2001 Tour de France was particularly difficult, having contained a 67-km long team time trial, two individual time trials and five mountain-top finishes on consecutive days, the second of which being the Chamrousse special category climb time trial. Thus, all the high-mountain stages were...
- 1st Stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1st Duo NormandDuo NormandThe Duo Normand is a two-man team time trial for elite racing cyclists. Held annually in Normandy, France, it was instituted in 1982. Launched by a local cycling association, the Duo Normand takes place on a road circuit of more than every September...
(with Jens VoigtJens VoigtJens Voigt is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . Voigt is known for his propensity to attack, and for his positive racing attitude. He is capable of repeated attacking, holding a high tempo, and breaking away from the peloton...
)
2002
- 1st Breckenridge
- 1st Golden
2003
- 1st Stage 2 Solano Bicycle Classic
- 1st Mt. Evans Hill ClimbMt. Evans Hill ClimbThe Mt. Evans Hill climb is a bicycle race that takes place on Mount Evans, Colorado. It was run for the first time in 1962. The race has been held 41 times with only three years canceled. The race was renamed in 1981 in honor of five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of...