A Question of Principle?

Today’s big news is that the men’s Cervélo Test Team will be disbanding at the end of the year.  Personally I’m gutted as it’s been a wonderful project to follow, they’ve quietly championed clean and fair cycling while opening up their doors to show us what happens Beyond the Peloton.

Traditionally the transfer period of all sports is an exciting one (we can’t help but get involved with the fun gossip), whether it is cycling, Formula 1 or Football.  This cycling transfer merry-go-round takes on a different feeling for me that has left me unsure of what to think.

On the Sunday morning of the final stage for Le Tour de France, I was having a chat over a coffee with Joao Correira of the Cervélo Test Team.  We were chatting about many things, like business in cycling, bikes, great places to ride and a little bit about doping.  Now Joao isn’t a part of the Bike Pure community, so some of you may not be familiar with Joao’s story. Joao was a professional bike rider in the late ‘90s but stepped away from the bike to finish college, to come back after a few years to make it as a pro-rider for Cervélo Test Team.  During my conversation with Joao, he told me that it was easier to step away from professional cycling when he did because of the doping culture at the time and that he came back because it was cleaner and which helped rekindled his desire to race bikes professionally again.

So what has this got to do with Bike Pure?  Joao isn’t a Bike Pure rider and this isn’t a doping story.  Well, first of all I personally think it is important to support anyone who encourages clean racing, whether the have signed up for Bike Pure or not.  The likes of Joao, Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins all want a clean sport and deserve our support no matter how they chose to vocalise it… besides it is because I have had more personal contact with Joao that has brought me to write this article, because it has given me a different perspective on anti-doping.

In the last week there’s been talk of the Schumacher, Rasmussen and Ricco being linked (or confirmed as a signing) with top teams.  That’s a call for each individual team, as it stands these guys have served their time and the rules allow these guys to race.  It is a up to teams to chose whether they want the extra baggage or not.  What hit me this morning is that these guys are being linked with various teams and taking away press time from good riders who haven’t cheated the sport.  When riders are mentioned in the press, irrespective of the context of their past, a message is being sent out that they are better cyclists than others available out there.  A team who first hadn’t considered signing Schumacher may now see that story and think “if such and such is considering signing him, perhaps he’s worth gamble of negative stories.”  I am one of the biggest supporters of rehabilitation and believe in giving people a 2nd chance, however I feel conflicted that Ricco has been signed for a team when people like Joao, Ted King and Bike Pure’s Daniel Lloyd are facing an uncertain period which will no doubt be stressful.

Does it make me a bit of a hypocrite that I would rather have riders I support find a team before those who I feel offended by?  There are a multitude of views and beliefs amongst the Bike Pure community and I would love to hear (tweet me @s2_art) how other people feel about the press that returning cheats get in comparison to existing fair cyclists who are good ambassadors for the sport.  How do you feel about team’s taking a chance on the likes of Schumacher over someone like Ted King?  No matter what we all think and feel, I’m sure you won’t mind me speaking on your behalf in wishing that everyone involved with Cervélo find a quick solution that they are happy with.  They’ve been a joy to watch racing over the last couple of years.

Stuart MacLean – Bike Pure UK Ambassador