Thomas Dekker stops cycling, “ready for the next step” – nrc.nl

Thomas Dekker talks with the team leadership during the 49th edition of the Amstel Gold Race last year. Photo ANP / Bas Czerwinski

Sport

Thomas Dekker stops cycling. The 30 year old athlete writes in a statement in the AD that he is ready “for the next step without a bicycle.”

Dekker stopped with immediate effect with cycling. In the paper he writes:

“My whole life was hitherto dominated by cycling, but I will no longer depend on my form, my equipment, my team or whoever or whatever. My cycling career is beautiful, ugly, been violently and educational. “

Dekker started his professional career in 2006, he was regarded as the great talent from the Rabo training. He won that year a mountain stage in the Critérium International. The following year he was the first third Dutchman at Tirreno-Adriatico. After arguing with director Harold Knebel and team leader Erik Dekker of the Rabobank team, he missed the Tour in 2008. A month later broken his contract.

Dekker and doping culture

At that time, there were rumors about abnormal blood values ​​were found with him. In 2009 came out that he was positive in 2007 as a rider in the Rabobank team tested the EPO variant Dynepo. Then he was by his team Lotto three days before the Tour made inactive and later fired. The cyclist known then to have used doping and was suspended subsequent to July 1, 2011.

After the release of the report by the US Anti-Doping Agency Usada about the widespread use of doping by Lance Armstrong and the US Postal team, there were more details to light over this period. NRC told the cyclist on the doping culture within the cycling world:

“In the environment where I landed heard doping it. Indeed, doping was a way of life for many teammates and colleagues around me. You live hard, you train hard, you do everything for: doping is part of your profession “

failed last attempt at history

His last meters cycled Dekker end. last month on the job of the Mexican Aguascalientes, where he tried to improve the world record. It was his last chance for a bit of history, wrote sports editor Maarten Scholten in an article (€) NRC. Failed. The North Hollander was over 270 meters short to break the record.

The athlete says in the newspaper for weeks to have thought about the decision to put an end to his career.

“I have weighed up. I laid the options together and considered them one by one. I listened to my mind and to my mind. And now I’m like: I quit racing “

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