"Gobsmackingly Brilliant" rides of 2000

Jerome Chiotti

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Jerome Chiotti gets my vote for his acknowledgement of past EPO use and handing over his rainbow jersey to Thomas Frischkneckt.

I know this wasn't actually a great ride, but I was very impressed by the honesty and behaviour of Chiotti in regard to his past use of EPO.

By handing over his Rainbow Jersey and acknowledging Thomas Frischkneckt as the best man on the day, I think Chiotti did more for the fight against doping, than any of the health checks and blood tests carried out by the UCI could ever hope for.

I wish more cyclists were as honest as Chiotti and were more willing to admit their mistakes.
I admire and enjoy watching riders such as Virenque, and others, as much as any other cycling fan, but it upsets me that riders can be so dishonest with themselves, their sponsors and their fans in regards to drug use. When riders aren't actually convicted but claim their positive tests or dodgy haematocrit levels are due to testing protocols and natural fluctuations it doesn't inspire much confidence.

I agree with others who have suggested a period of amnesty in cycling where drug cheats (and there must be so many of them) could come forward without fear of prosecution, to admit their past mistakes and swear to fight against doping, thereby raising the possibility of wiping the slate clean in the future (particularly in regards to establishing normal values for EPO and other such parameters in elite athletes).
Perhaps this way cycling could be freed of its demons and cycling fans would not have to be so suspicious of their heroes.

For actual rides, I go for Marcel Wust in the Tour De France. Time spent in the Mountains and Green Jerseys. Several top 10 finishes and a sprint win in the polka-dot jersey (a fine touch of irony!). Marcel is one of the most talented and non-egotistical men in the peloton.

Conor Cairns
Australia
Friday, December 1

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