From Velonews.com:
American cyclist Tom Zirbel announced on his blog Friday that he is retiring from cycling rather than continue an aggressive fight against doping charges.
“I’ve decided to walk away from the sport,” he wrote, saying that he will not contest the 2-year suspension he received after testing positive for DHEA last year. Zirbel, who indicated he still didn’t know how the positive test occurred, said he will share everything he can with investigators.
From his blog:
I’m ready to turn the page and start living a better, more fulfilling life. Whether or not bicycle racing is in that future is too foggy to tell. I hope you all can understand why I’ve chosen this road. It feels so good to be out of the holding pattern.
Okay, I gotta go. I have some jobs to apply for!
Q.E.D.
Hey Zirbel, If you were inocent you would not be so indecisive in defending yourself . A little like Landis in a way . Kinda all over the place . Not really making sense . And then the impulsive decision to pull the plug .I now hold you in the catagory of a doper who got caught and didn’t man up and face the music .
You are now a looser , doper and liar . Positive A , Positive B . Guilty and to arrogant to take the heat !
Retiring right now is the same as a confession to me….
The reality with Zirbel is that guilt is automagically applied simply because of the test result. I’d bow out as well to find a new and good path instead of trudging down a road that will do nothing to fortify the soul. For reference, look at the likes of Hamilton and Floyd for what this bullshit – regardless of innocence = will do to a man.
I commend Zirbel’s choice. Fuck the whole dog and pony show. There’s more to life.
See the thing that mystifies me is this automatic jump to arms from any breathing joe. ‘oh he’s a doper, fuck that dude’ Come on man, really? how much do you know about anything in life other than what’s in your own sandbox. My guess? Shit.
I’m not defending or shitting on this dude. Actually his path is inconsequential to me. Just like this statement will be to any that read it. Just ride your bike and move on. Opinions are worthless to anyone but their creator.
Just ride you fucking bike and enjoy it. Seems that’s what zirbel is about to do from here on out.
Ride-on, I totally agree with the kid, Its the same shit as the “America’s Cup” and the whole media explotation. Get over it, Bitch, and move on, do your job and go home.
Yeah, ‘the kid’ nailed it. Like I posted earlier, all it takes is the whiff of a doping accusation for the DC chorus to start bleating. I’m hoping the unprecedented response on this blog from more balanced commenters on Zirbel mark the beginning of a less prejudicial attitude.
Enough of that shit, Titties and beer , anyone?
Word, Id walk away from anyone/thing giving me nonstop shit for somthing, it called self respect.
Although I did give Zirbel shit for his doping positive, I can also understand his walking away, or retiring from the sport because honestly, even if he is innocent, it would take more money than most of us have together to fight this thing, and the deck is stacked way in favor of USADA. They’ve got funding, they’ve got tons of lawyers, and the individual bike racer only has his own wallet usually.
I’m also a forgiving kind of guy. As in, serve your suspension, and then come on back with open arms.
The thing about this case, is that it sounds, Just. Like. Every. Other. Doping. Case.
And some wonder why we are so cynical about doping in this sport?
To the kid; how much do we all know? I’d hazard a guess that a lot of us on here, who raced for many years, know quite a lot about doping in cycling. Not just at a pro level, but, at a local level as well. If you didn’t know, doping has been prevalent in cycling since there was cycling as a sport. And it’s going to continue, and it does continue. Anytime someone gets busted, that’s a good thing in my mind. The crazy excuses always come up, and it’s always the same ones, like, oh, my supplements were tainted. Sure, you can say that, but can you PROVE that? No. With as many doping positives coming from “tainted” supplements as there are out there, I’d imagine we’d all be beastly men and women if that were the case. Sadly, it’s not, it’s more a case of someone doping and getting caught.
I’m with Gnome.
He could fight it but for what? The judgement of official and public opinion has already been cast, and the emotional and financial cost of putting a life on hold for a battle with no end in sight would be a low percentage move.
Closing the book on this chapter of his life to start a new one looks to me like the most mature (but no doubt difficult) decision he can make.
I’m not saying I’m his best friend or anything, but anybody that’s met and knows him at all knows this guy’s as good as his word.
Zirbel is better off without cycling.
It’s sad the reverse isn’t true.
I heard it was a bad batch of frosted Pop Tarts