And the comeback of the year goes to...
11-28-08, 08:29 PM
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And the comeback of the year goes to...
Chad Gerlach!!!
The pro cyclist turned crack addict has a pro ride next year at age 35....
you can watch his A&E interventions:
Youtube Link
The pro cyclist turned crack addict has a pro ride next year at age 35....
you can watch his A&E interventions:
Youtube Link
11-28-08, 10:03 PM
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Yea I seen this before, but didn't know he got another pro ride. What do yall know about that********** Would be freakin incredible if it's true.
11-28-08, 10:35 PM
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This is incredible!
Everything I read about this guy's racing made me think of Jens. Pretty much a loose cannon.
If he has some discipline in him, I can't wait to see how he does!
Everything I read about this guy's racing made me think of Jens. Pretty much a loose cannon.
If he has some discipline in him, I can't wait to see how he does!
11-28-08, 10:38 PM
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From CyclingNews.com
Although still based in Tuscany, Italy, the Amore e Vita-McDonald's team will be registered as a continental team from the US in 2009 and no longer in Poland. Team manager Cristian Fanini has finalized a multi-national 18-man roster including Ukrainian sprint ace Yuriy Metlushenko and former CSC rider and Tour de l'Avenir time trial winner Christian Müller from Germany.
The team will also include American Chad Gerlach, who will make a return to the sport after having declined into drug addiction and homelessness. His story was the subject of a US television programme called "Intervention". Following the show, where troubled people are helped into a recovery regime, Gerlach began training again. The 35-year-old was previously off the bike for six years.
Also joining the team, according to La Nazione, is Roberto Gaggioli as a third directeur sportif.
2009 Amore & Vita roster: Alexey Bauer (Rus), Vladislav Borisov (Rus), Matt Brandt (USA), Phil Cortes (Can), Jaroslaw Dabrowski (Pol), Richard England (Aus), Peter Femal (USA), Graziano Gasparre (Ita), Chad Gerlach (USA), Fabio Gilioli (Ita), Sergey Grechyn (Ukr), Philip Mamos (Ger), Yuriy Metlushenko (Ukr), Nathan Miller (USA), Christian Müller (Ger), Soren Nissen (Den), Volodymyr Starchyk (Ukr), Andrew Talanski (USA)
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...ov08/nov29news
Although still based in Tuscany, Italy, the Amore e Vita-McDonald's team will be registered as a continental team from the US in 2009 and no longer in Poland. Team manager Cristian Fanini has finalized a multi-national 18-man roster including Ukrainian sprint ace Yuriy Metlushenko and former CSC rider and Tour de l'Avenir time trial winner Christian Müller from Germany.
The team will also include American Chad Gerlach, who will make a return to the sport after having declined into drug addiction and homelessness. His story was the subject of a US television programme called "Intervention". Following the show, where troubled people are helped into a recovery regime, Gerlach began training again. The 35-year-old was previously off the bike for six years.
Also joining the team, according to La Nazione, is Roberto Gaggioli as a third directeur sportif.
2009 Amore & Vita roster: Alexey Bauer (Rus), Vladislav Borisov (Rus), Matt Brandt (USA), Phil Cortes (Can), Jaroslaw Dabrowski (Pol), Richard England (Aus), Peter Femal (USA), Graziano Gasparre (Ita), Chad Gerlach (USA), Fabio Gilioli (Ita), Sergey Grechyn (Ukr), Philip Mamos (Ger), Yuriy Metlushenko (Ukr), Nathan Miller (USA), Christian Müller (Ger), Soren Nissen (Den), Volodymyr Starchyk (Ukr), Andrew Talanski (USA)
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...ov08/nov29news
11-29-08, 05:00 AM
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Peloton Shelter Dog
What this really means is now the crankheads on BF finally have somebody they can relate to.
11-29-08, 09:44 AM
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That's really awesome! I'd say he was really lucky that someone out there was willing to give him a chance again.
11-29-08, 12:39 PM
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11-29-08, 02:49 PM
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If you watch the show, he's not the exactly the nicest person out there. Its nice he got his act together, but hopefully he learns to not act like a 5 year old.
11-29-08, 03:27 PM
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Hopefully he's learned his lesson. He lives this stuff and it's great that he's getting another shot.
11-29-08, 03:44 PM
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My best to him for success as a bike racer and even more so that he continues to be successful in his recovery from addiction.
11-29-08, 03:58 PM
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I'm sure Gaggioli is a big part of why Chad is there. They have been friends/training partners and teammates for just about as long as I've known Chad, which is close to 20 years. What scares me about this is I'm not sure how much Gaggioli has cleaned up his act and whether he can be a good influence on Chad. I always heard, though I never saw it, that Gaggioli liked to party as well. I hope the best for Chad. Who knows what living on the streets and being addicted to crack has done to his body, but I saw the guy do some amazing rides in his time.
11-29-08, 04:05 PM
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I've known Chad for close to 20 years. We raced juniors against each other and later we were teammates on Team Redlands in 1994. He was one of the nicer guys could race against at the pro or cat 1 level. He can be a jerk at times, but most cyclists I know have that trait. Some of Chad's problems were that he didn't always say the right thing and sometimes refused to bow down to the right people. He could back it up with his riding 90% of the time. It was that other 10% of the time that he should have kissed butt and he probably would have gone a lot farther in the sport than he did. It just wasn't in his personality to do that, it wasn't that he wasn't nice.
11-29-08, 04:28 PM
#20
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I hope for the best for him. That's quite an arc to go from where he was to where he might be in '09.
And if you watch the whole episode (thanks for posting that, btw, I had never seen it.), you'll see that his parents have a lot of work to do, themselves. They're still seeing him at age 12 or so. At least that's how the producers presented it.
And if you watch the whole episode (thanks for posting that, btw, I had never seen it.), you'll see that his parents have a lot of work to do, themselves. They're still seeing him at age 12 or so. At least that's how the producers presented it.
12-08-08, 06:58 PM
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Chad has been doing the River Ride this fall and just killing people. He was in his Amore e Vita kit but on an ancient bike with downtube shifters.
I don't know him--just chatted with him briefly, but knew his story from some of the longtime local racers. Whether or not he ever wins another bike race, I hope he stays clean. Knowing a little about chemical dependency myself, I know that being clean and sober is in itself is a huge victory.
I don't know him--just chatted with him briefly, but knew his story from some of the longtime local racers. Whether or not he ever wins another bike race, I hope he stays clean. Knowing a little about chemical dependency myself, I know that being clean and sober is in itself is a huge victory.
12-10-08, 07:07 PM
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Anyone know who their bike sponsor will be? The team website looks like it has not been updated in quite a while.
Look forward to seeing these guys out at the races. I assume they will be doing Redlands and Tour of California among others.
Look forward to seeing these guys out at the races. I assume they will be doing Redlands and Tour of California among others.
12-10-08, 07:15 PM
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OK...looks like it was Velo Vie bikes last year. Perhaps there is no change for this year?
https://www.velovie.com/amore.php?osC...lsf7b2l82rh2d2
Never heard of them, but they look nice!
Geez, Chad is so lucky that he got this ride, especially with his history, and considering the economic climate. I wish him the best! Good for him!!
https://www.velovie.com/amore.php?osC...lsf7b2l82rh2d2
Never heard of them, but they look nice!
Geez, Chad is so lucky that he got this ride, especially with his history, and considering the economic climate. I wish him the best! Good for him!!
12-10-08, 07:51 PM
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I've known Chad for close to 20 years. We raced juniors against each other and later we were teammates on Team Redlands in 1994. He was one of the nicer guys could race against at the pro or cat 1 level. He can be a jerk at times, but most cyclists I know have that trait. Some of Chad's problems were that he didn't always say the right thing and sometimes refused to bow down to the right people. He could back it up with his riding 90% of the time. It was that other 10% of the time that he should have kissed butt and he probably would have gone a lot farther in the sport than he did. It just wasn't in his personality to do that, it wasn't that he wasn't nice.