Paul Kimmage critical of UCI
Paul Kimmage, author of ‘Rough Ride’, continues his arm’s-length involvement with professional cycling in his latest attack against the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). According to the outspoken former cyclist and anti-doping advocate,
the UCI is part of the doping problem, not the solution. Twenty years ago, Kimmage published Rough Ride, a personal and critical account of his pro cycling career and the culture of doping within the sport. The author remains extremely proud of the polarizing
book.
“When Rough Ride was published in 1990, (current UCI president) Pat McQuaid was an ambitious Irish cycling official, making his way through the halls of power and one of my sternest critics at the time,” said Kimmage to Cyclingnews. “He
dismissed the book saying that only the small guys dope. But I recognized that the sport had a real problem with doping and the problem was made worse by the UCI. So the UCI was my target when I sat down to write the book. Twenty years later absolutely nothing
has changed.”
Rough Ride went on to win the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 1990 and launched the author’s very successful sports journalism career. Kimmage has since published three more books and has won Sports Journalists Association
Interviewer of the Year prize five times. His first book earned him a foul reputation in cycling however, since it broke the unwritten rule for professional cyclists not to talk about other riders’ doping practices.
"If I'm going to be remembered for anything, Rough Ride will be it. That's my contribution to the sport of cycling and I'm very pleased to have made it," said Kimmage. "It's very gratifying that it's still there and people still read it. It’s surprising
because some of it is quite tame considering what went on after it and what is going on now."
He continues to be fiercely critical of what he sees as a lack of progress in the fight against doping, contrary to McQuaid’s stance that doping is less common then it’s ever been.
Kimmage has pointed out that while the sport’s governing body downplays the problem, the author’s concern is shared by many. Pierre Bordry recently stepped down as the head of the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) because he lost faith in that body’s ability
to fight doping, and Floyd Landis broke the same rule of silence that Kimmage broke by pointing the finger at Lance Armstrong, a cyclist Kimmage himself has been critical of.
"I was extremely pessimistic before Floyd came out but there are some good signs. The rate of change is not what it should be. Maybe were taking two steps forwards and one back but it's going to be a long process. Not going to be easy but it will never be
easy."
One of the most notorious moments in the author’s relationship with the seven-time Tour de France winner was before the 2009 Tour of California, when Kimmage called Armstrong the “cancer in the sport.” He has since publicly supported Landis’ reliability
as a witness and Jeff Novitzky’s American federal investigation into the alleged illegal activities within the former federally-funded US Postal Service cycling team, where Landis and Armstrong rode together under the management of Johan Bruyneel.
“I say: ‘Stand up and speak out’,” said Kimmage of clean cyclists. “If they don’t, they won’t have the respect of the public and things won't change. For example I saw that Andy Schleck offered his support to (Alberto) Contador the other day. I couldn't
f---ing believe that."
Contador, three-time Tour de France winner is currently under suspicion of having undergone blood transfusions at this year’s race. Public support for the cyclist in Spain and in the peloton has left many anti-doping activists feeling that they have little
support in the fight for a clean sport.
“I just want to make it known that whatever happens to him, whether he’s found guilty or not, Alberto will always be welcome in Luxembourg to go hunting with us,” said Tour runner-up Andy Schleck.
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