This is a sad story : Roy Sentjens

[limerickman]

Just read Roy Sentjens story about how having had a very bad season he took the decision to dope.
He said his season had been a disaster and he felt persuaded to go down the doping route in the hope that his results would improve so that he might secure a contract for next season.

Sentjens Confesses EPO Use And Retires | Cyclingnews.com


Were not talking about a "big name rider" here.
We're talking about a professional rider with wife, kids, and bills to pay trying to make a living.

Another reason why at the top of the sport, doping must be eradicated because cheating at the top puts every participant under pressure to perform.

I wish Roy well.

[Chapeau!]

Which doesn't necessarily mean the riders that do get too the top are doping.

Genetics play a massive role in cycling, something which doping can't reverse.

[limerickman]

Originally Posted by Chapeau!

Which doesn't necessarily mean the riders that do get too the top are doping.

Genetics play a massive role in cycling, something which doping can't reverse.

True.

But it's a damning indictment of this sport that a rider has to dope to try to win - to secure his future.

Roy Sentjens would destroy the likes of you or me on a bike and yet even he can't secure a future in this sport.

(I like your avatar by the way)

[roadhouse]

Originally Posted by limerickman

Just read Roy Sentjens story about how having had a very bad season he took the decision to dope.
He said his season had been a disaster and he felt persuaded to go down the doping route in the hope that his results would improve so that he might secure a contract for next season.

Sentjens Confesses EPO Use And Retires | Cyclingnews.com


Were not talking about a "big name rider" here.
We're talking about a professional rider with wife, kids, and bills to pay trying to make a living.

Another reason why at the top of the sport, doping must be eradicated because cheating at the top puts every participant under pressure to perform.

I wish Roy well.

I agree with you, eradicate it from the very top levels of the sport and we won't have to read or here about these others going down the wrong road. Sad story indeed but thanks for posting it.

[tonyzackery]

Negative. Story is cliche. Doesn't make it sad.
Grown man who is more than capable of making decisions concerning right and wrong. If he was incapable of discerning right from wrong, then he should be using an insanity defense.

Baseball players and steriods. Track and field athletes and steriods. Football players and steriods. Any sport and PEDs. I'm sure all of the busted individuals will give you the same sob story of having bills to pay, mouths to feed, and a huge mortgage. The ends do not justify the means. Cheaters and frauds - that's all they are, irrespective of their individual sob stories.

Sentjens' excuse is no better than that coming from a bookkeeper writing checks to herself and stealing from the company she works.

"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime".

Feeling sorry for busted dopers is not conducive to cleaning up the sport.

You know where I stand.

[Chapeau!]

Originally Posted by tonyzackery

Feeling sorry for busted dopers is not conducive to cleaning up the sport.

You know where I stand.

Your a hard man Tones.

[swampy1970]

I'm with Tony on this one.

Don't blame the guys at the top of the sport for what goes on with the mere minions. It's human nature to seek an advantage or 'get something for free'. The guy was having a bad year but he could have always just dealt with the cards that he had even if it meant riding for a Continental squad for a year...

... and if you're having a bad year, don't go out and buy a new car. Jay-sus.

Masters racing is said to be one of the 'less honest' classes and the old folk ain't even in it for a career. Bragging rights and prizes at best. I say 'said to be' because I don't know anyone who does it but the desire to win and the excess cash and the easy availability of PED's means it's pretty easy to head down that path. I've heard a few 'bits' of conversations at recent road races to somewhat believe that it's going on...

[leanman]

ok.. so this cheat gets caught.. that makes, well.... all but 3 in the pro peloton that hasent been caught yet.. still got a month or so in the season..
paul kimmage book is the facts. . another great book with the facts..a dog in a hat.. plus all the world class doctors that say they all cheat... most caught, and the rich guys have the best masking agents dont get caught... at least not yet....
a few stars got busted, so you know the lesser riders are cheating to keep up with them...johan, zable, lances postal team, hahahaha, ricco, brylants, i could go on for hours...they are all cheaters!!! i hate cheaters....
i rather be the heathly guy that comes in last place than a cheater that wins... johan...his excuse was he was clean his whole career, but he took drugs at the end of his career to keep winning... WTF!!!!! love those excuses..
but with tons of money on the line, and 197 other guys cheating, i guess roy had to cheat like the rest...
what the best part of these stories is, the lies they tell once they get caught. the excuses they give once they get caught are great..
nobodys got the balls to say, yea, i dope cause the other 197 guys dope..

[roadhouse]

Originally Posted by leanman

ok.. so this cheat gets caught.. that makes, well.... all but 3 in the pro peloton that hasent been caught yet.. still got a month or so in the season..
paul kimmage book is the facts. . another great book with the facts..a dog in a hat.. plus all the world class doctors that say they all cheat... most caught, and the rich guys have the best masking agents dont get caught... at least not yet....
a few stars got busted, so you know the lesser riders are cheating to keep up with them...johan, zable, lances postal team, hahahaha, ricco, brylants, i could go on for hours...they are all cheaters!!! i hate cheaters....
i rather be the heathly guy that comes in last place than a cheater that wins... johan...his excuse was he was clean his whole career, but he took drugs at the end of his career to keep winning... WTF!!!!! love those excuses..
but with tons of money on the line, and 197 other guys cheating, i guess roy had to cheat like the rest...
what the best part of these stories is, the lies they tell once they get caught. the excuses they give once they get caught are great..
nobodys got the balls to say, yea, i dope cause the other 197 guys dope..

That is exactly what Floyd Landis has said..

[Chapeau!]

Originally Posted by leanman

ok.. so this cheat gets caught.. that makes, well.... all but 3 in the pro peloton that hasent been caught yet.. still got a month or so in the season..
paul kimmage book is the facts. . another great book with the facts..a dog in a hat.. plus all the world class doctors that say they all cheat... most caught, and the rich guys have the best masking agents dont get caught... at least not yet....
a few stars got busted, so you know the lesser riders are cheating to keep up with them...johan, zable, lances postal team, hahahaha, ricco, brylants, i could go on for hours...they are all cheaters!!! i hate cheaters....
i rather be the heathly guy that comes in last place than a cheater that wins... johan...his excuse was he was clean his whole career, but he took drugs at the end of his career to keep winning... WTF!!!!! love those excuses..
but with tons of money on the line, and 197 other guys cheating, i guess roy had to cheat like the rest...
what the best part of these stories is, the lies they tell once they get caught. the excuses they give once they get caught are great..
nobodys got the balls to say, yea, i dope cause the other 197 guys dope..

A great speculative effort there.

Keep trying.

[swampy1970]

Originally Posted by leanman

nobodys got the balls to say, yea, i dope cause the other 197 guys dope..

That's pretty much what Lance Armstrong nutswinger extroidinare, Paul Kimmage said in his book... well, it was more like "I sucked because everyone else was doping" but you get the idea. Funny how his friendship with Roche and Kelly dissolved in a nanosecond...

[Serious Chris]

Originally Posted by tonyzackery

Negative. Story is cliche. Doesn't make it sad.
Grown man who is more than capable of making decisions concerning right and wrong. If he was incapable of discerning right from wrong, then he should be using an insanity defense.

Baseball players and steriods. Track and field athletes and steriods. Football players and steriods. Any sport and PEDs. I'm sure all of the busted individuals will give you the same sob story of having bills to pay, mouths to feed, and a huge mortgage. The ends do not justify the means. Cheaters and frauds - that's all they are, irrespective of their individual sob stories.

Sentjens' excuse is no better than that coming from a bookkeeper writing checks to herself and stealing from the company she works.

"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime".

Feeling sorry for busted dopers is not conducive to cleaning up the sport.

You know where I stand.

I couldn't agree more. There are people from all walks of life who think they are entitled to zero responsibility for their actions because of this mentality.

[lance_armstrong]

Originally Posted by limerickman

Just read Roy Sentjens story about how having had a very bad season he took the decision to dope.
He said his season had been a disaster and he felt persuaded to go down the doping route in the hope that his results would improve so that he might secure a contract for next season.

Sentjens Confesses EPO Use And Retires | Cyclingnews.com


Were not talking about a "big name rider" here.
We're talking about a professional rider with wife, kids, and bills to pay trying to make a living.

Another reason why at the top of the sport, doping must be eradicated because cheating at the top puts every participant under pressure to perform.

I wish Roy well.

The topic of doping is so controversial, and a lot of the explosive, derogatory and inflammatory comments (mine included) bear testimony to that on this forum. But the bottom line really is that doping MUST be eradicated from the sport. This story is the best example why. There is no justifying the damage done by the trickle down effect of top riders doping.

The giants of the sport seem to know that even if they are caught doping, they will get a second chance because of their talent and lucrative future prospects. They're successful enough and financially secure enough to wait out a suspension if they are caught. Furthermore, in my opinion, the flaws of doping tests allow most to avoid detection anyway. The unfortunate middle and bottom tier riders who feel the pressure to dope are almost doomed from the beginning. They don't have the means to cheat with the big boys (doctors, technical advice, etc.), and when they're caught, it's the end of their career and the beginning of a shameful retreat into whatever life outside of cycling they can make for themselves.

Sorry to sound so preachy, but this is what makes doping so damned ugly.

Thanks for the story Limerickman.