Dopers - why bother

[leameg]

Two guys that I have raced against, not sure what is more shocking the fact they feel the need to do this at this level or the fact one is only a second year junior! I don't feel sorry for either of them and they will both have to live wit
h the consequences of their actions, I wonder how isolated these two actually are crazy..

http://www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations...

the other one

http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/index.php?show...

[louiebaby]

I was just reading the following article that popped up on my RSS:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/ba...

Is he saying the reason he failed was because he borrowed a used syringe off a bloke in the gym he'd never met?

How dumb can you be? (Either to think this is a valid defense, or to do this in the first place?)

[anonymous-user]

Rubish excuse, almost as bad as Tiernan-Locke's "I went on a massive booze bender"...

The risk of hepititas, HIV etc never mind PEDs would be on any sane persons mind where needles are concerned. At least the junior Gabriel Evans has been a man about it.

[leameg]

Dumb indeed either way you look at it, probably best if he just fessed up rather than trying to fabricate even sillier lies, notice cycling weekly now has the other statement on their site now as well.

[anonymous-user]

Cheating at such a relatively low level, any level is bad enough, but wtf is wrong with people?!

Sharing a needle as an excuse, I can't believe anybody would try and use that line

[scherzkeks]

CoinSl0t said:

Cheating at such a relatively low level, any level is bad enough, but wtf is wrong with people?!

Sharing a needle as an excuse, I can't believe anybody would try and use that line

It's quite comical, but no surprise IMO. The sort of average joe who would take club racing seriously is already mentally defective enough, so what's a bit of EPO?

[okgo]

scherzkeks said:

It's quite comical, but no surprise IMO. The sort of average joe who would take club racing seriously is already mentally defective enough, so what's a bit of EPO?

You really are a tt.

As for the OP, yes all incredibly odd, and sad. I can claim to be part of that small group of people who beat a doper while riding clean

Edited by okgo on Thursday 10th December 17:33

[scherzkeks]

okgo said:

You really are a tt.

As for the OP, yes all incredibly odd, and sad. I can claim to be part of that small group of people who beat a doper while riding clean

Edited by okgo on Thursday 10th December 17:33

Yes, for some weekend warrior amateur racing is serious business. I see you qualify.

[louiebaby]

scherzkeks said:

Yes, for some weekend warrior amateur racing is serious business. I see you qualify.

For some people, they dedicate their life to it, to become as good as they possibly can. I did it with rowing for a number of years. I took a job as near to the best boatclub in the country. Everything I earned in those years went towards supporting my rowing career in some way.

I had trials for GB, but ultimately didn't make it. Perhaps if I had started younger I would have, but ultimately I discovered a lot about myself. I enjoyed training more than racing.

Having that single purpose to your life is actually a very nice way to live. At times I miss the lifestyle, but don't regret leaving it behind. I have never regretted doing it.

It was weekend warrior amateur racing, I suppose. I'm proud to have been involved.

[okgo]

scherzkeks said:

Yes, for some weekend warrior amateur racing is serious business. I see you qualify.

What is wrong with someone taking their hobby seriously?

My aim to to become national champion in what I am best at, it happens at weekends, apart from prize money I don't paid to do it, the same as most, I really cannot see your point here. Everything LB said is how hundreds of people feel about any sport you can name, and many other non sporting hobbies. There are many guys out there who likely will never be all that good but they take it seriously, they enjoy it, it gives them focus and they want to be as good as they can be, I find it pretty small minded to challenge that to be honest.

[z4RRSchris]

I knew Evans was too good on strava to be clean and Robs RP record looking rather suspect now.... 22 seconds behind Miller, def got a secret motor in his downtube

in all seriousness pretty sad Gabriel came to doping at such a stage in his life as a bike rider. Without opening up about where he got it and who was involved I think people will have a hard time thinking the sport has changed. 99% he will have help in structuring a program

[matt-ITR]

z4RRSchris said:

I knew Evans was too good on strava to be clean and Robs RP record looking rather suspect now.... 22 seconds behind Miller, def got a secret motor in his downtube

in all seriousness pretty sad Gabriel came to doping at such a stage in his life as a bike rider. Without opening up about where he got it and who was involved I think people will have a hard time thinking the sport has changed. 99% he will have help in structuring a program

Where does a 18 year old get EPO? The internet. Same as every other person at this level who dopes. Or perhaps you think London Dynamo has a structured doping program?
Young riders can be clean and fast, just because Gabriel wasn't, doesn't mean every talented rider is also doping.

[AyBee]

okgo said:

As for the OP, yes all incredibly odd, and sad. I can claim to be part of that small group of people who beat a doper while riding clean

[AyBee]

z4RRSchris said:

I knew Evans was too good on strava to be clean and Robs RP record looking rather suspect now.... 22 seconds behind Miller, def got a secret motor in his downtube

in all seriousness pretty sad Gabriel came to doping at such a stage in his life as a bike rider. Without opening up about where he got it and who was involved I think people will have a hard time thinking the sport has changed. 99% he will have help in structuring a program

I'm guessing, from what I've read, that he felt he was beaten in the 25TT by someone who was doping (they beat him by 40 seconds and he beat the guy in third by 1 minute). It's a bit sad that he felt the need to do it, but I suspect he's not the only one because (as I understand it) testing in junior competitions isn't that comprehensive (understandably given resources). I doubt he'd have been caught if he hadn't been caught by the father of a team mate.

The bit I dislike the most is that, having been suspended by his junior club (Catford), he then went and signed on at Dynamo in order to ride the national 10TT, so it's now Dynamo that have made the papers as his club. This ultimately, to me, shows he's not at all sorry about what he did!

[okgo]

Agree with your post above Aybee, very underhand.

[anonymous-user]

AyBee said:

I'm guessing, from what I've read, that he felt he was beaten in the 25TT by someone who was doping (they beat him by 40 seconds and he beat the guy in third by 1 minute). It's a bit sad that he felt the need to do it, but I suspect he's not the only one because (as I understand it) testing in junior competitions isn't that comprehensive (understandably given resources). I doubt he'd have been caught if he hadn't been caught by the father of a team mate.

The bit I dislike the most is that, having been suspended by his junior club (Catford), he then went and signed on at Dynamo in order to ride the national 10TT, so it's now Dynamo that have made the papers as his club. This ultimately, to me, shows he's not at all sorry about what he did!

Whichever way you look at it LD aren't shown in the best light, it's unfortunate for them. The best thing they can do is stick by the kid and try to help him rebuild some credibility, it won't be easy.

It's the same for Scherzerks

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 14th December 12:15

[fromage]

yonex said:

Whichever way you look at it LD aren't shown in the best light, it's unfortunate for them. The best thing they can do is stick by the kid and try to help him rebuild some credibility, it won't be easy.

It's the same for Scherzerks

Edited by yonex on Monday 14th December 12:15

I can't really see how he can rebuild any credibility after then going on to ride the National 10 afterwards. I don't think LD owe him anything he hadn't ridden for them for about a year.

[anonymous-user]

fromage said:

I can't really see how he can rebuild any credibility after then going on to ride the National 10 afterwards. I don't think LD owe him anything he hadn't ridden for them for about a year.

Well it's not that they owe him anything but he's still a solid rider (one that made a stupid choice) and has his whole life ahead of him. It would be cool for a club to get hold of him and try and help him whilst he's serving the ban. IMO the sport needs riders like this guy to educate others who may be tempted...

[fromage]

Will be tough for a club to decide whether or not to accept his membership though as he has the potential to taint clubs name by association.

I personally think he is a great advert for not doping as it is. Showing that if you dope you will basically be disowned by the UK cycling scene, though I do hope he gets some help (counselling etc) outside of cycling though as at the end of the day he is young and made a stupid mistake (then another by competing in the Nat 10) but he is lucky enough to come from a wealthy family would should be able get him some good help if he requires/seeks some. I can imagine it's not great fun being him at the moment.

[scherzkeks]

yonex said:

Whichever way you look at it LD aren't shown in the best light, it's unfortunate for them. The best thing they can do is stick by the kid and try to help him rebuild some credibility, it won't be easy.

It's the same for Scherzerks

Edited by yonex on Monday 14th December 12:15

Figure out how to install your hoods correctly yet?