Christian Vande Velde is surrounded by the media as he prepares for the start of Stage 5 of the Tour de France.| Getty Images
Christian Vande Velde signs an autograph for a fan before Thursday's state of the Tour de France. | Getty Images
Lemont's Christian Vande Velde (third from left) and his Garmin Cervelo teammates celebrate on the podium after winning the team competition in the 2011 Tour de France.
Christian Vande Velde, who recently finished 17th overall and is part of the winning Garmin Cervello team in the Tour de France, poses with his team medal at his home in Lemont, IL on Wednesday July 27, 2011. | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
Christian Vande Velde, who recently finished 17th overall and is part of the winning Garmin Cervello team in the Tour de France, poses near a poster of the race at his home in Lemont, IL on Wednesday July 27, 2011. | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
Christian Vande Velde, who recently finished 17th overall and is part of the winning Garmin Cervello team in the Tour de France, poses near his bikes at his home in Lemont, IL on Wednesday July 27, 2011 | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
American cyclist Christian Vande Velde lies on the road after falling during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from Grado to Valdobbiadene, Monday, May 11, 2009. Two American riders with the Garmin-Slipstream squad _ Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie _ fell on a downhill section at the 140-kilometer (87-mile) mark. Zabriskie got back on his bike and rejoined the pack, but Vande Velde stayed on the ground and was taken to a local hospital. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Lemont native and Tour de France veteran Christian Vande Velde will be eligible to return to professional cycling in the spring. In the meantime, he’ll be seeking to restore his reputation as a world-class competitor. Coinciding with the release of a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report …
