Leipheimer joins Discovery!

Sorry I didnt see thread started already : Levi's Discovery....


Levi Leipheimer will leave Gerolsteiner and renew his working relationship with Johan Bruyneel by becoming the Discovery Channel team leader for the next season. The American, 32, rode for Bruyneel's US Postal team in 2000 and 2001, finishing third in the Vuelta in 2001.

Leipheimer finished thirteenth in the 2006 Tour de France after slipping up in the race's opening time trial, where he lost over six minutes to his principal race rivals, including overall winner Floyd Landis.

"I am very excited about the idea of rejoining this team," said Leipheimer, winner of the Dauphiné Libéré race in May.

Before joining German team Gerolsteiner in 2004, Leipheimer spent three years at Dutch outfit Rabobank.

The American has raced in five Tours, finishing in the top thirteen on every occasion except in 2003 where he retired with an injury.

After an uncharacteristically weak Tour for Discovery following the departure of former lynchpin Lance Armstrong, it was no secret that directeur sportif Bruyneel was openly looking for a short-term replacement for the seven-time winner.

Leipheimer is seen as an experienced rider with proven pedigree who will compete for the GC in the major Tours as well help nurture the rising talent of future Tour hopeful Yaroslav Popovych.

The Ukrainian's Stage 13 win, and George Hincapie's one day in yellow, were the sole rays of light in a testing Tour for Discovery, whose best placed rider, José Azevedo, finished 19th, almost 40 minutes off the pace.

President of Discovery, Billy Campbell, is said to be "confident" that the American team can "return to winning ways" on the Grande Boucle in 2007.

The Californian's arrival will put an end to speculation linking Discovery with controversial close-season swoops for shamed duo Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich, and reigning Tour champion Floyd Landis.

Is it just me or is this not very exciting? Levi kinda sux no?