Breaking The Chain

I tip my helmet to a clean podium, Snowshoe WV XC

I started my day like I do everyday, eating my eggs and drinking my coffee while surfing my favorite sites. On tap first was Velo News to read about Boonen's monster victory, but I was thrown off by the words "Sheppard's Apology Letter". Most of you know by now that Haro's Chris Sheppard was busted this month for EPO use, well today he released a rather interesting letter.



My view from the trenches at Mt. Snow

As a first year pro I have a lot of views on this matter. I have been in the trenches and seen emotionally the struggle each of us has to go through to make it in this doggy dog world. I have also been blessed with the passion for cycling that runs deep in anyone dedicated to a sport and can understand that sometimes love is blind. I am not writing this to point fingers at Shep, I admire his heart felt letter and it takes courage to come out and say what he said (I heard from Wells that he showed up at Mammoth to personally apologize to everyone.... props). On the other hand, there is something exciting in knowing that you are clean and working torwards achieving your bodies personal greatest potential. (Even if currently it lies around 20th in a field of elite men) For me, time will tell how far I make it, but emotionally I could not handle (or pay for the therapy bills) the burden doping would bring.



Quote of the day comes from a comment on Billy Holmes site (Shep's Mechanic): "as a father of two small children,
it puzzles me why someone would think that winning in Candy Land by cheating would offer the same pleasure as winning in Candy Land by playing fair."

Finally a little reminder to lay off the front Brake....