One man's testimony against Lance Armstrong shined a light into just how disturbing the world of professional cycling can be.
David Zabriskie was one of many cyclists who signed affidavits testifying that they had seen Lance Armstrong use performance enhancing drugs. But more than testifying against Armstrong, Zabriskie's heartbreaking testimony detailed how a drug-rich and bullying culture of cycling forced him to make gut-wrenching choices at a young age in hopes of pursuing his dreams. Here's his story in six quotes from his affidavit.
"Cycling became a refuge for me. Long, hard training rides were cathartic and provided an escape from the difficult home life associated with a parent with addiction. My father had a long history of substance use and addiction. Seeing what happened to my father from his substance abuse, I vowed never to use drugs. I viewed cycling as a healthy and wholesome outlet that would keep me far away from my father’s footsteps."
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"The decision of whether to go to college or continue cycling was upon me. Doping had been in the news a great deal in 1998 with the Festina scandal at the Tour de France, and I knew that I did not want to use drugs. Among the people I went to for advice was [USA Cycling President] Steve Johnson. He said not to worry about drugs in cycling. He said that the sport is cleaning up and it is a great time to enter."
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"At a training camp in Tucson in the beginning of 2001, I got very intoxicated during a celebration of my birthday, eventually falling asleep in a bath tub. Johan [Bruyneel] goaded me into drinking more, saying “take another shot or I’ll fire you.” His comment was in jest, however, those of us not on the Tour team knew that we were expendable and our careers were very much controlled by team management."
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Via: sltrib.com