Ben King (cyclist)

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Ben King
Personal information
Full nameBenjamin T. King[1]
Born (1989-03-22) March 22, 1989 (age 35)
Richmond, Virginia, United States
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider typeClimber
Domestique
Amateur teams
2004–2005Charlottesville Racing Club
2006–2007Hot Tubes Cycling
Professional teams
2008Kelly Benefit Strategies–Medifast
2009–2010Trek–Livestrong
2011Team RadioShack
2012–2013RadioShack–Nissan
2014–2016Garmin–Sharp[2][3]
2017–2020Team Dimension Data[4][5]
2021–2022Rally Cycling[6][7]
Major wins
Grand Tours
Vuelta a España
2 individual stages (2018)

One-day races and classics

National Road Race Championships (2010)

Benjamin T. King (born March 22, 1989) is an American former professional road racing cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2008 to 2022.[3]

Personal[edit]

Born in Richmond, Virginia, King spent his adolescence in North Garden, Virginia, United States.[8][9] He now resides in North Garden[10][11] and Lucca, Tuscany, Italy.[12][13] King graduated from Monticello High School, in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2007.[14][15] He attended Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia, between 2008 and 2009.[16][17][18]

Career[edit]

King rode for UCI Continental teams Kelly Benefit Strategies–Medifast (2008),[19][20] and Trek–Livestrong (2009 and 2010),[21][22] winning the United States National Road Race Championships in September 2010.[23][24]

King signed with Team RadioShack, a UCI ProTeam, for the 2011 season,[23][24] remaining with them as they renamed to RadioShack–Nissan for the 2012 season,[25][26] then continuing with RadioShack–Leopard the following year.[27][28]

King signed with Garmin–Sharp, a UCI ProTeam, for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.[29][30][31] In March 2015, King won Stage 1 of the Critérium International.[32][33] He was named in the start list for the 2015 Vuelta a España.[34]

After a 2016 season in which he took a stage win at the Tour of California, in September of that year Team Dimension Data confirmed that King would join them for 2017 with a role as a leader and mentor for the team's younger climbers. The move will reunite King with former Garmin team-mates Tyler Farrar, Nathan Haas and Lachlan Morton.[35]

In May 2018, he was named in the startlist for the 2018 Giro d'Italia and finished 44th in the General Classification out of 149 finishing cyclists.[36]

In August 2018, he won the first Grand Tour stage of his career at the Vuelta a España on stage 4[37] and backed this up with another victory on stage 9. He would finish the race in 24th overall.

Major results[edit]

2007
National Junior Road Championships
1st Road race
1st Time trial
5th Overall Tour de l'Abitibi
2009
3rd Road race, National Under-23 Road Championships
8th Overall Univest Grand Prix
2010
1st Road race, National Road Championships
1st Road race, National Under-23 Road Championships
3rd Overall Coupe des nations Ville Saguenay
6th Paris–Roubaix Espoirs
7th Overall Nature Valley Grand Prix
1st Young rider classification
Pan American Road Championships
9th Time trial
10th Road race
9th Overall Cascade Cycling Classic
1st Young rider classification
2011
1st Young rider classification, Tour of Beijing
5th Road race, National Road Championships
2013
1st Shenandoah 100
Most Aggressive, USA Pro Cycling Challenge
2014
8th GP Miguel Induráin
2015
1st Stage 1 Critérium International
2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
2016
1st Stage 2 Tour of California
2018
Vuelta a España
1st Stages 4 & 9
1st Mountains classification, Volta ao Algarve
5th Road race, National Road Championships
2020
8th Faun-Ardèche Classic
2021
1st Stage 6 Volta a Portugal
8th Vuelta a Castilla y León
2022
1st Mountains classification, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
4th Road race, National Road Championships

Grand Tour general classification results timeline[edit]

Grand Tour 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
A pink jersey Giro d'Italia 44
A yellow jersey Tour de France 53 62
A red jersey Vuelta a España 75 46 DNF 24 38
Legend
Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kirsten Frattini (July 26, 2010). "Dowsett, Whitten claim final stage wins". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  2. ^ "Team Cannondale – Garmin (TCG) – USA". UCI World Tour. Aigle, Vaud: Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Ben King". Garmin–Sharp. Boulder, Colorado: Slipstream Sports LLC. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  4. ^ "Dimension Data finalise 2019 roster". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. November 22, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  5. ^ "NTT Pro Cycling Team". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "Rally Cycling". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  7. ^ Dreier, Fred (November 19, 2020). "Ben King is headed to Rally Cycling for 2021. Here's why". VeloNews. Pocket Outdoor Media. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  8. ^ Sue George (October 27, 2014). "Ben King hopeful for a chance to race 2015 Worlds at home". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  9. ^ Barry Ryan (February 24, 2015). "2015 roads lead to Richmond for Ben King". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  10. ^ Cory Mull (August 2, 2014). "Albemarle's Ben King reflects on Tour de France feat". News Leader. Tysons Corner, Virginia: Gannett Company, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  11. ^ Ashley Halsey III (January 30, 2015). "What you should know about the UCI Road World Championships". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Nash Holdings LLC. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  12. ^ Barry Ryan (December 9, 2011). "King looking to continue progress with RadioShack-Nissan-Trek". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  13. ^ Andrew Hood (April 28, 2014). "Q&A with Ben King: a 'work in progress' hunting an opportunity". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  14. ^ "Former Virginia Tech student places 53rd in Tour de France". DNFBJ. South Bend, Indiana: Schurz Communications, Inc. July 28, 2014. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  15. ^ Cory Mull (July 18, 2014). "King heading for first Tour de France". News Leader. Tysons Corner, Virginia: Gannett Company, Inc. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  16. ^ Cody Owens (November 14, 2011). "The King of the road". College Times. Blacksburg, Virginia: College Media Solutions, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  17. ^ "King steps up in the ranks". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. January 9, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  18. ^ Sierra Fink (July 14, 2014). "Ben King Tells of Craziness of His First Tour de France". Athletes in Action. Orlando, Florida: Cru. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  19. ^ Susan Westemeyer (December 15, 2011). "Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast adds five for 2008". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  20. ^ Neal Rogers (February 2, 2008). "Road Warriors: Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast prepares for California debut". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  21. ^ "Trek-Livestrong strengthens in Solvang". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. January 20, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  22. ^ "Continental team rosters for 2010". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. December 24, 2010. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  23. ^ a b Kirsten Frattini (September 19, 2010). "USA Cycling Professional Championships 2010". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  24. ^ a b Brian Holcombe (September 19, 2010). "Ben King soloes to U.S. pro road title and a Trek-Livestrong sweep in Greenville". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  25. ^ "RadioShack-Nissan-Trek announces lineup for 2012". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. December 5, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  26. ^ Sue George (December 6, 2011). "RadioShack-Nissan-Trek finalizes 2012 roster". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  27. ^ Andrew Hood (November 5, 2012). "Daniele Bennati leaving RadioShack-Nissan for Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  28. ^ Xylon van Eyck (November 7, 2012). "RadioShack-Nissan roster taking shape for 2013, Frank Schleck remains on board for now". VeloNation. Chevy Chase, Maryland: VeloNation LLC. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  29. ^ Brian Holcombe (September 12, 2013). "Garmin set for dramatic overhaul in 2014". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  30. ^ Nigel Wynn (September 13, 2013). "Ben King signs to Garmin for 2014". Cycling Weekly. London, England: IPC Media. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  31. ^ Pat Malach (July 1, 2014). "Q&A: Ben King looks forward to his debut Tour de France". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  32. ^ "Criterium International stage 1: Ben King wins Cannondale's first race of 2015". Cyclingnews.com. Bath, England: Future plc. March 28, 2015. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  33. ^ "Ben King opens Criterium International with victory". VeloNews. San Diego, California: Competitor Group, Inc. March 28, 2015. Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  34. ^ "Vuelta a España 2015". Cycling Fever. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  35. ^ Sadhbh O'Shea (September 29, 2016). "King, Thwaites and Morton join Dimension Data for 2017". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  36. ^ "2018: 101st Giro d'Italia: Start List". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  37. ^ "2018 Vuelta a España Stage 4". velonews. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.

External links[edit]

Sporting positions
Preceded by United States National Road Race Championships
Winner

2010
Succeeded by