Suspended Rider returns to the Peloton but can we move on & Doping Panel Discussion

Submitted by Kris Thompson on

Don't miss the Panel Discussion at Retul Wednesday Night!

This week we come full circle in the impact of doping in our own local community, as of November 24, Chuck Coyle is a free man and can race again, this after having served a 2 year sanction by USADA. Chuck was one of the first of few who have so far been busted by the the famous list of Joe Papp. The last suspended rider to return to the peleton, Todd Roberson so far has not been welcomed very well given some of the comments from fellow riders. Once someone is suspend for such an act are they branded for life or can the cycling community find ways to move on?

Some say that say that it’s the silence of the riders that prevents them from moving on. Some won’t talk but Chuck did share a few words with us


Chuck racing Sunday


I am really excited to get back out and race again. I wouldn't wish the situation I was in on anyone but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. It helped put a lot of things into perspective for me, remind me of what is important and who my true friends are. There are many who once finished racing professionally stop racing all together. That is not me, I love the competition and pushing myself. I don’t ride 1/4 of what I once did but still love competing....I'm just further back in the pack now.

See you at the races!

Before you scroll down to the ‘Add Comment’ link lets stop to think about all that has happened in the last 2 years in cycling, for starters the Lance Armstrong and the world around him has come crashing down, a Grand Fondo guy gets nailed for doping and USADA is coming to Colorado. Progress to clean up our sport is moving forward but dopers in the amateur fields in Colorado still exist according to a very good source of mine but does writing done of hateful comments clean up the sport or threatening to “push him into a ditch make you better”? I say, let’s look forward to clean up the sport, welcome USADA to Colorado races and events and support those teams, organization and promoters who do what they can to ensure that we have a healthy growing sport for the future.

Come to the Panel Discussion on Doping Wednesday

Come to Retul in Boulder or Listen to it live where George Thomas of Over the Top Radio leads a panel discussion with a select set of panelist and from the audience on the topic

Location: Retul
5445 Conestoga Court #100
Boulder

Time 6:30 pm

Panelist include

Timmy Duggan: Reigning US Pro Road Champion, 2012 Olympic Team 2012 World's Team currently racing with Team Saxo-Tinkoff

Michael Aisner: Director Red Zinger Classic, Announcer, Promoter. Influential in the sport since the early 80s and, in my opinion, a perfect voice for where cycling has been, where it is now and where it's going.

Ruthie Matthes: National Champion in multiple road and mountain events, World Champion MTB, Olympic Team member. Ruthie offers a unique perspective on this topic as someone who built her sport and saw changes as it grew.

Shawn Heidgen: Shawn raced professionally and stayed clean at the height of the EPO years. Amazing stories. She works for Training Peaks and analyzes TdF power data from selected racers.

Don Powell: Don is owner and president of Panache Cyclewear. He cut his legs in the gutters of Belgium, racing several seasons as a professional rider before finishing his career riding in the US for Saab.

If you cannot attend feel free to listen live and send your questions/comments to ottpradio@gmail.com or on Over the Top Radio's Facebook Page

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38 Comments

There are now stories coming

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

There are now stories coming out of those pros who chose NOT to dope and thus had mediocre careers as a result. Those are my heroes - the ones who had the willpower to resist and do the right thing instead of becoming part of the problem.

Cycling will not be seen as legit - ever again - until LIFETIME BANS are handed down to all dopers past & present. Cycling is now the laughing stock of the pro sports world. What a shame that is.

Garmin's "ride clean" BS went down the toilet when they did not immediately fire anyone on the team who ever doped.

Chuck Coyle, Todd Robertson, Lance Armstrong, David Millar, etc etc etc. Lifetime bans for all. Who gives a toss if they're "ambassadors" for the sport. They cheated, profited from their cheating, and are all despicable IMHO.

Whoa...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

You mean, it will never be legit for you, right? You don't speak for everyone on this.

As screwed up as things are, it's commonly understood that both pro football and pro baseball have huge problems with drugs. Not in the news 'cause they're not really trying to clean it up. Hell, take a look at any reasonably successful HS football team in TX, CA, FL... and you'll find more doping there than Garmin could dream of doing.

The fault in your argument is

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

The fault in your argument is this: the IMAGE & REPUTATION of the sport of football & baseball have not been tarnished almost irreparably by the media coverage of doping & performance-enhancing drugs. The sport of cycling has. Cycling is the laughing stock of the general public. Football & baseball are not.

So - until the media decides to tarnish football & baseball to the extent that it has with cycling, I advocate lifetime bans for all dopers so we can in essence start over to rebuild cycling as we know it. Otherwise it will continue to be delegitimized by ex-dopers returning to the fold. THEN it would be legit for me. Thus endeth my sermon for the day.

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