![]() Kirchmann at the 2018 Women's Tour de Yorkshire | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | 30 June 1990
Height | 166 cm (5 ft 5 in) |
Weight | 59 kg (130 lb) |
Team information | |
Current team | Denver Disruptors |
Discipline | Road |
Role | Rider |
Rider type | All-rounder |
Professional teams | |
2011 | Colavita–Forno d'Asolo[1] |
2012–2015 | Optum Pro Cycling[2] |
2016–2022 | Team Liv–Plantur[3][4] |
2023– | Denver Disruptors |
Leah Kirchmann (born 30 June 1990) is a Canadian racing cyclist, who rides for National Cycling League team Denver Disruptors.[5] She competed in the 2013 UCI women's road race in Florence.[6] At the 2014 Global Relay Canadian Road Championships, held in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, she won the road race, time trial and the criterium, becoming the first woman to win all three titles in the same year.[7][8]
Kirchmann's first sport was cross-country skiing. She continued to compete as a skier until about the age of 18. Kirchmann originally started mountain biking as summer training for ski racing. She turned professional in 2011 with the Colavita–Forno d'Asolo team.[1] When the team dissolved at the end of 2011, Kirchmann followed director Rachel Heal to the new Optum Pro Cycling team in 2012.[2] Kirchmann signed for Team Liv–Plantur on 8 October 2015 for the 2016 season.[9]
In June 2016, she was officially named in Canada's 2016 Olympic team.[10] She also qualified to represent Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[11]
In August 2022, Kirchmann announced that she would retire from professional cycling at the end of the 2022 season.[12] However, in December 2022, it was announced that Kirchmann would form part of the roster for the Denver Disruptors, for the inaugural season of the National Cycling League in 2023.[5]
Source:[13]