Chad Gerlach
 

Good article on him here.

Yes it was. Thanks.

This is an update to the original story...

I watched "Intervention" when he was on it. Great comeback! Glad he's not dead.

understood, I read it. I was just providing a little more background for those interested. I find this story captivating, and am really rooting for the guy.

People should root more for those that never fell off the wagon in the first place.

You know, the upstanding citizen, who took care of their responsibilities and always strived to help the world move forward.

I do hope Gerlach and VDB make positive comebacks though.

For whatever reason there always has to be a tail of adversity attached to the athlete, people must think it is easy to be a world class athlete and require an "oprah" moment to confirm the athlete deserves to be where they are as though training hard for years were not enough.

I don't think most people realize how hard it is for a guy like Chad to even stay sober, let alone race professionally in italy after that break... I definately will be rooting for the guy on and off the bike.. its not hard for a person to become addicted like he did, just takes a few bad mistakes and they are almost always done for good.

I'm revising the old saying that "youth is wasted on the young" to "talent is wasted on the talented". Good for him but I would have killed to have had 1% of his natural talent.

A few months ago Chad was doing the River Ride on an ancient Allez with a broken Shimano 600 front derailler, no bar tape, and a saddle held together with duct tape. I wish I'd taken a picture. I did get a chance to chat with him a few times. He seems to me to be a guy who knows he's gotten a second bite of the apple.

Sometimes it takes a second look before you realize what you really have. Sometimes more.

Well put.

Sorry, this place has made me paranoid. :lol:

Most people that fall into addiction as bad as he did never recover. Its amazing he's racing professionally 1 year after checking into rehab