US Pros Update: No Nationals for Chris Horner, Levi to Defend All Alone

Astana's Chris Horner won't be contesting this year's national championships as the Bend, Oregon resident continues to recover from a broken collar bone suffered at Elk Grove. Horner's absence will mean that defending champion Levi Leipheimer will have no teammates to help him defend his title.

Horner's career has been a bumpy one, and he has never seemed to have the best timing. His first foray to Europe with the Francaise des Jex team was a disaster, and it took the affable American a few years to recove from the bad experience with the French team. He was able to re-enter the European ranks first with Saunier Duvall, then Lotto, and now with Astana, but his season so far has largely been a lost one due to Astana's non-selection for the Tour de France and a series of injuries that Horner has had to deal with this year.

As far as the national championships, Horner has yet to bag a stars-and-stripes jersey. He had been close in the past, finishing as high as third, but has never been able to sew up his nation's title. Of all active American pros, no one is more deserving of the title than Horner. Unfortunately though, time is running out for the aging all-arounder.

Horner will get another crack at the title next year, assuming he is injury free and not riding the Veulta. Currently, he is training in Oregon, re-building his form for a late season run at results. He'll hope to finish 2008 without any more injuries, and re-load for 2009 and a final run at participating in the Tour de France. He will be missed at the US Pros, as any race Horner enters becomes more exciting with his participation.