Julian Dean (born 28 January 1975) is a former professional road racing cyclist from New Zealand who competed as a professional between 1999 and 2013. He last rode for UCI World Tour team Orica–GreenEDGE,[1] where he now works as an assistant sporting director and mentor. His main achievements include winning the 2007 and 2008 New Zealand National Road Race Championships, finishing 9th in the 2005 World Road Championships in Madrid, 10th place in the 2002 World Road Championships in Zolder and finishing second in Grand Tour stages four times. At the peak of his career he was considered the best lead out rider in the world, and was highly regarded by his teammate and friend Thor Hushovd.

Julian Dean
Personal information
Full nameJulian Dean
NicknameKiwi Guy, Julz, Skiddy, Grasshopper
Born (1975-01-28) 28 January 1975 (age 49)
Waihi, New Zealand
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight72 kg (159 lb)
Team information
Current teamTeam Jayco–AlUla
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider (retired)
Directeur sportif
Rider typeSprinter
Lead-out Specialist
Professional teams
1999–2001U.S. Postal Service
2002–2003CSC–Tiscali
2004–2007Crédit Agricole
2008–2011Slipstream–Chipotle
2012–2013GreenEDGE
Managerial team
2013–Orica–GreenEDGE
Major wins
2010 Giro d'Italia, Stage 1 TTT
2011 Tour de France, Stage 2 TTT
New Zealand National Road Race Champion 2007/08
Tour de Wallonie 2003
Points classification Tour of Britain 2004
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Men's Cycling
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Victoria Team Pursuit

Early life

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Born in Waihi, New Zealand, Dean is the son of Waimata dairy farmers Peter and Valerie Dean. Locally known as the "Grasshopper", started cycling when he was just a child, beginning at the local BMX club in, where he had success with two 3rd-place finishes in the New Zealand Championships. Dean tried his hand at many sports before moving onto triathlon, which he enjoyed. From triathlon, Dean fell in love with cycling, where he represented New Zealand in road and track disciplines. In 1997, Dean got his chance to race in the US with the Shaklee team and the Mercury cycling team in 1998.

Career

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US Postal

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In 1999, Dean signed to the now-defunct US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team, whom he rode for until 2001, gaining experience from racing in Europe. He managed his first European victories with 2 stage wins in the tour of Britain. After having ridden in a team based around Lance Armstrong Dean went looking for new opportunities.

He got them by joining CSC–Tiscali in 2002. However, his joy was short-lived when Dean broke his leg in March 2002 and was out for three months. He took a stage win in the short stage race Tour de Wallonie taking the leaders jersey & holding on to win the overall race beating some of the world's best riders to the victory including a great tussle with Italy's star rider Michele Bartoli.

Credit Agricole

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In 2004 he signed to Crédit Agricole as a lead-out man for sprinter Thor Hushovd. He finished 8th behind stage winner Tom Boonen in Stage 6 of the Tour de France. He missed the 2005 edition of the Tour due to an injury incurred in the 2005 Giro d'Italia. He later returned for the 2006 edition.

The 2007 cycling season started well with Dean winning the New Zealand Road Racing Champion title. This win entitled Dean to represent and wear the black and white New Zealand national cycling jersey whilst racing in all international road-racing events throughout the 2007 season. He continued to ride for the French-based team Crédit Agricole.

During the 2007 Tour de France, Dean was known for his role of lead-out for Thor Hushovd. Hushovd later said in interviews that Dean was "the best lead-out man in the world."[2] Dean's last public appearance wearing the Crédit Agricole jersey was the 2007 Mt Maunganui criterium race, held on 27 December 2007. He won the elite category.

Slipstream-Chipotle

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From 2008 to 2011, Dean rode for Jonathan Vaughters' team Slipstream–Chipotle. He once again started the year by winning the New Zealand national Road Racing Championship, held in January.[3] He recorded six top-ten finishes in the 2008 Tour de France, with a best performance of fourth in stage 14. His overall classification was 110th, and 9th in the points competition.[4]

In 2009, during the 13th stage of the Tour de France from Vittel to Colmar he, along with Óscar Freire of Rabobank got shot by an air rifle. He got shot in the thumb but was able to continue with a largely swollen hand where he eventually finished 112th on the stage. In completing the Tour de France, Dean became the only rider to start and finish all three grand tours during the 2009 season.[5]

During the finish of stage 11 from Sisteron to Bourg les Valence in the Tour de France Dean was involved in a highly publicised incident with Mark Renshaw, who repeatedly headbutted Julian Dean, who he believed had come across into his lead out. Subsequently, Renshaw was disqualified from the Tour de France.

GreenEDGE

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In October 2011 Dean confirmed his move to the new Australian professional cycling team, GreenEDGE.[1][6] Dean believed "It [is] a hugely exciting development for cycling, especially in Australia and New Zealand" and that "With the quality of the team named, [he is] confident we'll get World Tour status straight away"[7] which was subsequently achieved.[8] Australian riders already signed to GreenEDGE include 2011 Milan – San Remo winner, Matthew Goss, Australian National Road Race Champion, Jack Bobridge, Australian National Time Trial Champion and 2011 Tour Down Under winner, Cameron Meyer, four time Tour de France runner up, Stuart O'Grady and three-time winner of the points classification in the Tour de France, Robbie McEwen. Julian had a training injury[9] at the first GreenEDGE camp. In December 2012 Dean confirmed his retirement from racing, his final race will be the New Zealand National Road Race Championships on 13 January. He will continue to work with GreenEdge Cycling as an assistant sporting director and mentor.[10]

Grand Tour results

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Tour de France

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Dean at the 2009 Tour de France.

Giro d'Italia

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  • 2005 : Abandoned, Stage 6
  • 2007 : 93rd
  • 2008 : Did not start, Stage 19
  • 2009 : 136th
  • 2010 : Did not start Stage 19. 2nd Stage 18, 3rd Stage 10

Vuelta a España

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  • 1999 : 112th, 2nd Stage 21
  • 2005 : Abandoned, Stage 15
  • 2009 : 132nd
  • 2010 : Did not start, Stage 13

Personal life

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Dean is married with two children. During his time in New Zealand, Dean, is based in Rotorua, New Zealand where he hopes to eventually be based permanently.[11] In 2010 Dean competed in the Singlespeed Mountain Biking World Championships.[12]

Palmares

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1993
3rd   World U19 Team Pursuit Championship
1994
3rd   Team Pursuit, Victoria, Commonwealth Games
1995
1st   Kilometer Champion
Best All-Around Performance, New Zealand Track Championship
1996
1st   Individual Pursuit champion
1st   Points Race Champion
1st Tour of Somerville
1st stage Tour of Ohio
1st Red Rose Rocket Criterium
1st stage, Tour of Wellington
1997
1st Visalia Criterium
1st Santa Rosa Criterium
1998
1st Outdoor Life Network GP
1st Overall, US National Point Series
1st Visalia Criterium
1st stage, Tour LeFleur
1st sprint competition Redlands Classic
1999
1st   Overall Tour of Wellington
1st Stage 11
Tour of Britain
1st Stages 2 & 7
2000
10th First Union USPRO Championships
2001
1st First Union Classic
1st Stage 4 Vuelta a Castilla y León
2002
10th World Road Race Championships
10th Paris–Tours
2003
1st   Overall Tour de Wallonie
1st Stages 4 & 5
1st Wachovia Classic
1st Stage 2 Circuit Franco-Belge
2004
2nd Overall Tour of Britain
1st   Points classification
2005
9th Road Race World Championships
2007
1st   National Road Race Championships
1st   National Criterium Championships
2008
1st   National Road Race Championships
1st Stage 1 TTT Giro d'Italia
3rd Overall Tour of Ireland
2010
3rd National Road Race Championships
2011
1st Stage 2 TTT Tour de France
2013
3rd National Road Race Championships

References

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  1. ^ a b "Julian Dean confirmed for GreenEdge". VeloNews. Competitor Group, Inc. 4 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ^ Youtube video of stage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdpldghEof8
  3. ^ "Dean defends cycling title". Television New Zealand. 13 January 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  4. ^ Tour de France official website 193 – DEAN Julian (NZL) Archived 28 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
  5. ^ Alejandro Valverde wins his first grand tour, as Greipel wins the final stage in Madrid
  6. ^ Woodcock, Fred (4 October 2011). "Dean signs up with new Australian cycling team". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  7. ^ Julian Dean joins Australian cycling team, GreenEDGE
  8. ^ "Dean an early GreenEDGE training casualty". Canberra Times. 7 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  9. ^ Guinness, Rupert (5 December 2011). "Great news on GreenEDGE, but many questions still to be answered". SBS – Cycling Central. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  10. ^ "Julian Dean calls it quits". Fairfax Media NZ – Stuff News. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Cycling: Retiring Dean true team player". Rotorua Daily Post. APN News & Media. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Logic to the madness – 2010 Singlespeed World Champs in Rotorua". Singlespeed World Champs. Info News NZ. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
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