Tyler Hamilton Foundation auction begins this week
American cyclist Tyler Hamilton competed in his first professional bicycling race on Tuesday since being accused of blood doping in the fall of 2004 during the Vuelta a Espana.
Hamilton rode in the one-day French season opener, the Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, as leader of the Russian Tinkoff Credit Systems cycling team. Teammate Mikhail Ignatiev finished second; Hamilton finished out of the top 15.
Hamilton lost his final appeal of the blood doping case last year, and his two-year suspension from professional cycling ended in September 2006.
Hamilton's last day as a pro was Sept. 16, 2004 — the 12th stage of the Vuelta. VeloNews looked back at the bad mojo that beset many others in the peloton that day:
“That day's stage was won by Roberto Heras (stripped of the 2005 Vuelta title and suspended for EPO), who knocked Floyd Landis (facing the loss of the 2006 Tour de France title on a testosterone charge) out of the leader's jersey. Finishing second that day was Santiago Perez (suspended for blood doping), who finished ahead of third-placed Francisco Mancebo (named in Operación Puerto and ejected from the 2006 Tour).”
While Hamilton is getting back into racing in Europe, the Tyler Hamilton Foundation opens its online fund-raising auction on Wednesday. The foundation mainly benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Society, but its stated mission is to encourage health and personal empowerment through cycling.
Check CyclingNews for updated results from Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise. Also, see Tyler Hamilton's website.
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