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Chad Gerlach

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gttim!

May 13, 2009
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schadenfreude said:
i doubt he's out of the woods just yet, but i do wish him luck with life.
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Sadly, you nailed that one. Any addict or alcoholic is "out of the woods yet." I just hope he can sober up and life a normal life.
 
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fatandfast

Jul 14, 2009
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This guy was misfit when he was a Jr. I wish him well and hope that he can find a solution to his problems. He has been racing well as of late and to see him fall so quickly is really freaky. Euros and fans who never saw him race don't know the power this guy has, he has crushing legs and can destroy most people in a drag race. Like lots of other greats racing and winning are not the only thing up in his head. Any kids thinking of smoking cocaine even once should reconsider, crack aint no party drug.
 
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Oldman

Jun 19, 2009
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bikenrunnwt said:
He raced at the Giro della Provincia di Grosseto (1st stage 86th at 1'02, 2nd stage 128th at 15'46, 3rd stage dnf) and at the Giro di Sardegna (1st Stage 88th at 4'42, 2nd 103rd at 10'56 , 3rd stage 90th at 19'00, 4th stage 90th at 7'12, 5th stage dnf). Pretty good quality fields at both events.

Not all that bad considering his recent past! Most North American pros who first head to Europe are lucky to even finish their first race, so Chad's efforts are pretty amazing after only a few months of serious training.
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I raced with him at the gnarly Tour of Willamette in Oregon when all the Continental Pros and some Euros would show up. He was top placed amateur one year, I believe. You had to be double tough to handle the terrain and weather-the main attribute he'll need to stay clean. Welcome back, dude.
 
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Oldman

Jun 19, 2009
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Susan Westemeyer said:
Did you read the link I posted? He is off the wagon again, so to speak.

Susan
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No and am sorry to hear it. This kind of addiction can take 100 recoveries before it sticks. He can't give up.
 
systemu

systemu

Oct 6, 2009
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Too bad. Like come-back stories...but sounds like not only addiction but maybe some other underlying issue..ie: bipolar, depression.....many folks with bipolar or depressive illness mask the symptoms with booze and drugs. Hope he gets and takes some help. Ride on!
 
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ggusta

Jul 26, 2009
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systemu said:
Too bad. Like come-back stories...but sounds like not only addiction but maybe some other underlying issue..ie: bipolar, depression.....many folks with bipolar or depressive illness mask the symptoms with booze and drugs. Hope he gets and takes some help. Ride on!
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Awful .... my wife and I both watch intervention each week. He is one of the few that we regularly talk about ..."I wonder if he is going to make it ...."

I had my doubts if professional cycle racing was going to be the place where he found peace. A vocation that offered a bigger degree of forgiveness might be a safer environment.

I hope he can pull his life together.
 
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Laszlo

Jul 22, 2009
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what is perhaps sadder is that he took someone else's place on the team who might have actually turned their life around- his is perhaps a better lesson for others
 
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Cloxxki

Mar 19, 2009
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This sad story again shows that we are not born equally, when it comes to specific tasks to perform.
I know of few people who lap pelotons (or cross race) by themselves. Most them are actually "special" in a way beyond the obvious physical advantage they have.
This guy may have better genes for racing than Lance Armstrong, and better commitment in a race than Voeckler, but if something in the background is mis-firing, this physical talent, and the expectation pressing down on his shoulders may have a current short-out effect.
Hopefully he likes more about riding than just the winning, and he'll find a way to make a pieceful living. As an inspirational speaker, tour guide, bike tester, mechanic or whatever.
I have not been as low as he, with the streetlife and addiction, but I can fully imagine it happening to a man. It's extra hard for him to get out, being so encouraged and loved for his sports results. He may need to feel respected for other, more valid reasons.
A genetical talent is not something to be proud of, just thankful. Others can be idolizing or admiring that, but it's not enough to be a complete person, at peace.

I hope he'll find his way. That's harder than winning any race.
 
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ggusta

Jul 26, 2009
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Alpe d'Huez said:
Here's another link.

Very sad story. :(
Click to expand...

Nothing really new in that article. Just a rehash of the original sac bee story.

The only minor thing I would dispute is that he was not the subject of several intervention episodes. he was the subject of two episodes.

In any case, very sad. I hope he survives. As long as he is alive, he might recover. Death is final. No coming back from that. Sacbee article indicates that one of the people helping him believed he had hit bottom in the first intervention episode. I disagree. His attitude was not that of a man who really had a sense of far down he had fallen. It's amazing how far some people have to fall to see the reality. Many die before they get to the bottom.
 
craig1985

craig1985

May 6, 2009
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Fanini - WAG, really going out of his way to try and help somebody. Really they should Gerlach back on his bike and get him to Italy but invent a special rule that he can't go back to America until he is over his problems for good. Obviously that is impossible though.
 
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Beech Mtn

Oct 6, 2009
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Thought about Chad today with the VDB news. Glad to hear he's back in rehab - hopefully he can straighten out his life.
 
Boeing

Boeing

Jul 17, 2009
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I hope for the best for this guy and his family. It would be too easy to go to the moral card here. Somehow I believe we are a lot closer to this than we want to admit in one way or another.

peace
 
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