I apologize.

[WildspokeJoe]

For all those who said Tyler Hamilton was a cheat you were right. I believed him. What an idiot I am.

First – let’s not say he’s retiring. He’s getting kicked out the sport because he is a cheater.

There is nothing Tyler can say to convince me that he is nothing but a total fraud.

All that he accomplished is forever tainted. He should give back his gold medal. Take off that jersey. You disgust me.

“Today is about my leaving the sport and to talk about my depression, not the past. I don't want to talk about that anymore, it's about moving forward and taking care of myself."

What a load of crap. Instead of hiding behind depression, step up and admit you were a cheat. He doesn’t want to talk about the past because it was nothing but a mirage.

Tyler, do us all a favor and admit you cheated. You took drugs to win but in the end you lost.

We all lost.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Jesus Did you loose a race against him, or what?

 

[BroDeal]

For all those who said Tyler Hamilton was a cheat you were right. I believed him. What an idiot I am.

First – let’s not say he’s retiring. He’s getting kicked out the sport because he is a cheater.

It is only cheating if everyone else is not doing it.

 

[iliveonnitro]

Jesus Did you loose a race against him, or what?

I agree that "we all lost." It happens every time a cyclist gets caught doping.

I disagree that he is hiding behind the depression excuse. Tyler has a problem with depression, which is a much bigger problem than doping. He needs to find a professional who can treat him before things get much worse than just taking banned substances.

 

[ukpaul]

It is only cheating if everyone else is not doing it.

L.A. doesnt cheat lol

 

[tifosa]

Tyler, do us all a favor and admit you cheated.

If only any rider who's boosted their performance illegally would admit it publicly. Alas, it's not part of their character. They'd rather compete illegally and win, than complete clean and lose. Too much pride. Warped pride. I'm sure they privately think of themselves as victims too. Whatever.

It's not just a sports thing, it's a "win at any cost" thing. Happens in cycling, happens in business. There is no limit to personal or professional ego and greed.

 

[TrapperJohn]

In this case, I think we're seeing the act of a severely depressed person. It appears that the substance wasnt' found in enough quanitity to have any performance advantage.

Just guessing here, but maybe this was his way of hurting himself. Severe depression can lead people to do things like that.

My beef is that he dishonored the sport in the process. Pity you couldn't retire before you did this.

 

[Power13]

If only any rider who's boosted their performance illegally would admit it publicly. Alas, it's not part of their character.

Jerome Chiotti, anyone?

 

[skidmark]

I've known enough depressed people to give him the benefit of the doubt. That said, I don't know him, so maybe he's lying, it really doesn't affect me one way or the other, but it doesn't seem incongruent with depression to do something like that.

 

[tiggertoo]

I wish Hamilton well, depression is a horrible disease.

 

[ridley]

Excuse or not ...

Here is my $0.02 -

Yes, I agree depression is a HORRIBLE disease to deal with and lately it is one of those things that is discussed more and more in the Cycling community. I can agree that it is a tough live, travelling on a hectic schedule, cannot really relax during the racing season, always notify authorities of your where-abouts, be ready to pee in a cup at a moment's notice and all that.

BUT - it is not an unknown when you sign up for the sport - it is ONE of the KNOWN things - just like you WILL be tested for drugs and enhancers if you compete at that level.

And an athlete that knows all these things and still go and buy an over-the-counter drug, willfully taking it to stop a career ... that makes me wonder. Why not just say ' I am done racing and want to retire!!! ' - Now there is another cloud hanging over a very controversial tem again.

 

[bianchigirl]

If Hamilton is suffering from depression then I hope he gets all the help he needs. But this is a man who has lied and cheated and denied throughout his career in a way that makes Virenque look principled.

 

[BigBoat]

I feel bad for Tyler and I have been on anti-depressent meds before. Its often tough to Go off of these powerful mind altering substances too. But he could just be lying about it as an excuse too. Probably not though.

I hope Hamilton comes out and "blows the whistle" big time!

 

[BigBoat]

But this is a man who has lied and cheated and denied throughout his career in a way that makes Virenque look principled.

I do agree he has "cheated" and there are many top cat 1s and lower tier pros that would be world class Grand Champions' with the "Dr. Ferrari drug program." He lied about it and was probably embarassed in front of thousands of his supporters when he tested positive for somebody else's blood.

Hamilton is a nice guy apparently, this has been written about him often. He rode through the Tour de Suisse in 1997 or 1998 (the first year Postal did it) without dope while they still had Prentice Steffan as their team doctor (I think it was him??!).

It was the team doctor's job to jump out of the car and "heave/ PUSH Tyler up to the top of the mountains after he was dropped by the pack and in last place.

One of the guys on Postal that year who had raced Europe in the 1980s said "if you tipped your head on a mountain pass you could swear the pack was riding on a flat road."

Doping should always be fought, even though in the pros its nearly 'en mass.' The playing field is never level and always caotic with the various new powerful chemo boosters, 02 carriers and blood doping (which is still rampent in pro cycling.)

Those not blood doping with their own blood ( not with the means) are at a 20% power disadvantage for example.

 

[Argon Man]

Yes, depression is a major problem of todays society, however Tyler knew that he was taking a banned substance that was performance enhancing and did nothing about it until he was caught. Did he win the US title whilst on this? After his past record and damage he has caused to our sport, I cannot feel sympathy for him.

 

[BigBoat]

Yes, depression is a major problem of todays society, however Tyler knew that he was taking a banned substance that was performance enhancing and did nothing about it until he was caught. Did he win the US title whilst on this? After his past record and damage he has caused to our sport, I cannot feel sympathy for him.

I do believe there was NO testing at that race.

 

[Angliru]

I do believe there was NO testing at that race.

Boat, is there a particular reason no testing was done at the U.S. National Championship race(s)? It seems odd to me.

 

[BroDeal]

Boat, is there a particular reason no testing was done at the U.S. National Championship race(s)? It seems odd to me.

It costs money, and cycling is a small piddling sport where money is in very short supply.

Yes, depression is a major problem of todays society, however Tyler knew that he was taking a banned substance that was performance enhancing and did nothing about it until he was caught. Did he win the US title whilst on this? After his past record and damage he has caused to our sport, I cannot feel sympathy for him.

Since DHEA does not appear to have any performance enhancing effects, I highly doubt it was responsible for his nationals win.